1459 Magnya, provisional designation , is a basaltic, slightly elongated asteroid from the outer regions of the
asteroid belt
The asteroid belt is a torus-shaped region in the Solar System, located roughly between the orbits of the planets Jupiter and Mars. It contains a great many solid, irregularly shaped bodies, of many sizes, but much smaller than planets, c ...
, approximately 20 kilometers in diameter. Discovered by
Grigory Neujmin
Grigory Nikolayevich Neujmin (russian: Григорий Николаевич Неуймин; – 17 December 1946) was a Georgian–Russian astronomer, native of Tbilisi in Georgia, and a discoverer of numerous minor planets as well as 6 periodi ...
at the
Simeiz Observatory
Simeiz Observatory (also spelled Simeis or Simeïs) was an astronomy research observatory until the mid-1950s. It is located on Mount Koshka, Crimea, , by the town of Simeiz.
Part of the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory, it is currently used f ...
in 1937, this background asteroid was later named from the Latin word "Magnya", which means "clear, bright, wonderful" when literally translated into Russian. It is the only known basalt asteroid orbiting beyond
4 Vesta
Vesta (minor-planet designation: 4 Vesta) is one of the largest objects in the asteroid belt, with a mean diameter of . It was discovered by the German astronomer Heinrich Wilhelm Matthias Olbers on 29 March 1807 and is named after Vesta, the ...
.
Discovery
''Magnya'' was discovered on 4 November 1937, by Soviet astronomer
Grigory Neujmin
Grigory Nikolayevich Neujmin (russian: Григорий Николаевич Неуймин; – 17 December 1946) was a Georgian–Russian astronomer, native of Tbilisi in Georgia, and a discoverer of numerous minor planets as well as 6 periodi ...
at the
Simeiz Observatory
Simeiz Observatory (also spelled Simeis or Simeïs) was an astronomy research observatory until the mid-1950s. It is located on Mount Koshka, Crimea, , by the town of Simeiz.
Part of the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory, it is currently used f ...
on the Crimean peninsula. Two nights later, it was independently discovered by French astronomer
André Patry
André Patry (22 November 1902 – 20 June 1960) was a French astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses their studies on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. They observe astronomical o ...
at
Nice Observatory
The Nice Observatory (french: Observatoire de Nice) is an astronomical observatory located in Nice, France on the summit of Mount Gros. The observatory was founded in 1879, by the banker Raphaël Bischoffsheim. The architect was Charles Garni ...
on 6 November 1937. The Minor Planet Center only recognizes the first discoverer, although Patry was first to announce the discovery. However, André Patry later received the honor to name the asteroid ''(see below)''.
Orbit and classification
''Magnya'' is a non-
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...