916 America

{{Short description|Main-belt asteroid}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}

{{Infobox planet

| minorplanet = yes

| background = #D6D6D6

| name = 916 America

| symbol = 24px (astrological)

| image =

| caption =

| discovery_ref = {{cite web | url=https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=916;orb=1 | title=JPL Small-Body Database Browser - 916 America (1915 S1) | access-date=2 May 2016}}

| discoverer = G. N. Neujmin

| discovered = 7 August 1915

| mpc_name = (1915) S1

| alt_names =

| named_after = Americas

| pronounced = {{IPAc-en|ə|'|m|ɛr|ᵻ|k|ə}}Noah Webster (1884) A Practical Dictionary of the English Language

| mp_category =

| orbit_ref =

| epoch = 31 July 2016 (JD 2457600.5)

| aphelion = {{Convert|2.9247|AU|Gm|abbr=on|lk=on}}

| perihelion = {{Convert|1.8037|AU|Gm|abbr=on}}

| semimajor = {{Convert|2.3642|AU|Gm|abbr=on}}

| eccentricity = 0.23706

| period = 3.64 yr (1327.8 d)

| inclination = 11.093°

| asc_node = 329.79°

| mean_anomaly = 245.58°

| arg_peri = 41.772°

| mean_motion = {{Deg2DMS|0.27113|sup=ms}} / day

| observation_arc = 92.21 yr (33681 days)

| uncertainty = 0

| abs_magnitude = 11.4

| rotation = {{Convert|38|h|d|abbr=on|lk=on}}

| albedo = {{val|0.0530|0.004}}

| mean_radius = {{val|16.615|0.65}} km

}}

916 America is a minor planet orbiting the Sun in the main belt between Mars and Jupiter.

It was discovered on 7 August 1915 by the Russian astronomer Grigory Nikolaevich Neujmin at Simeis, Russian Empire. Originally designated 916^ΣI, it was renamed '916 America' on 24 February 1923 after the Council of Astronomers at Pulkovo Observatory decided to commemorate "the friendly relations of the astronomical observatories and astronomers".[https://books.google.com/books?id=DwVLAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22916+America%22&pg=PA364] (1923). Popular Astronomy, volume 31, page 364. It was named after the Americas, which is why it was stated that it was named for the American continent.{{Citation |title=(916) America |date=2007 |work=Dictionary of Minor Planet Names |pages=82–82 |editor-last=Schmadel |editor-first=Lutz D. |url=https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_917 |access-date=2025-03-06 |place=Berlin, Heidelberg |publisher=Springer |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_917 |isbn=978-3-540-29925-7|url-access=subscription }} The name was possibly a mark of appreciation for the help given during the 1921 Russian famine by the American Relief Administration under the later President Herbert Hoover.

In 1986, assuming that the asteroid was of S-type and that it had a diameter of 15 km, the rotational period was measured to be 38 hours.{{cite journal | bibcode=1986acm..proc...81D | title=A Photoelectric Program for Small and Unusual Asteroids | last=Dimartino | first=M. | journal=Asteroids, Comets, Meteors II; Proceedings of the International Meeting, Uppsala, Sweden, June 3–6, 1985. Uppsala, Sweden, Astronomiska Observatoriet | year=1986 | pages=81}} Observations by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite have since shown that it has a diameter of 33.2±1.3 km, with an absolute magnitude of 11.20 and an albedo of 0.053±0.004.