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Questions about 594913 ꞌAylóꞌchaxnim

Short answers, pulled from the story.

What is 594913 Aylóchaxnim?

594913 Aylóchaxnim is the first known asteroid of the Vatira population and orbits entirely within Venus's path. It was discovered on the 4th of January 2020 by astronomers Bryce Bolin, Frank Masci, and Quanzhi Ye using the Zwicky Transient Facility camera at Palomar Observatory.

When did the Minor Planet Center assign the permanent number to 594913 Aylóchaxnim?

The Minor Planet Center assigned the permanent number 594913 to 594913 Aylóchaxnim on the 20th of September 2021. This milestone followed the provisional designation 2020 AV2 granted on the 8th of January 2020 and the official name approval on the 8th of November 2021.

How long does it take for 594913 Aylóchaxnim to orbit the Sun?

594913 Aylóchaxnim completes an orbit around the Sun every approximately 151 days or 0.41 years. Its semi-major axis measures near 0.5554 AU with an aphelion distance reaching only about 0.654 astronomical units.

Why is 594913 Aylóchaxnim named after Luiseño culture?

Scientists chose the name 594913 Aylóchaxnim because it means 'Venus girl' in the indigenous Luiseño language of southern California. The title celebrates Palomar Mountain which sits on ancestral Luiseño land where the discovery occurred at the Zwicky Transient Facility camera site.

What type of asteroid surface does 594913 Aylóchaxnim have?

Spectroscopy conducted by the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory in 2020 revealed that 594913 Aylóchaxnim has a reddish surface rich in olivine. Scientists classify this object as an Sa-type asteroid reflecting its unique blend of features intermediate between S-type and A-type classes.