Definition
324 Bamberga is a large, dark, carbonaceous (C‑type) asteroid located in the outer region of the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
Overview
Discovered by Austrian astronomer Johann Palisa on 25 February 1891 at the Vienna Observatory, 324 Bamberga is one of the twenty‑largest known asteroids by volume. It orbits the Sun at a distance of roughly 2.1–3.5 AU, completing a circuit approximately every 4.4 years. Its relatively high orbital eccentricity (≈0.23) and moderate inclination (≈15°) distinguish it from many main‑belt objects. The asteroid’s absolute magnitude (H) is about 5.7, indicating a sizeable body with a low reflectivity.
Etymology/Origin
The name “Bamberga” is the Latinised form of Bamberg, a historic city in Bavaria, Germany. The naming follows a 19th‑century convention of assigning Latin or mythological names to newly identified asteroids. No documented connection between the city and the discoverer has been confirmed beyond the choice of the Latin form.
Characteristics
- Spectral type: C‑type (carbonaceous), suggesting a composition rich in carbonaceous material and primitive, volatile‑poor rocks.
- Diameter: Estimates based on thermal observations and occultation data place the mean diameter at approximately 228 km (±5 km).
- Albedo: Very low surface reflectivity, with a visual geometric albedo near 0.03, making it one of the darkest large asteroids known.
- Mass and density: Mass estimates are on the order of 5 × 10¹⁸ kg; combined with its size, this implies a bulk density around 1.5 g cm⁻³, consistent with a porous, carbon‑rich interior.
- Rotation period: Photometric measurements give a rotation period of roughly 26.7 hours.
- Orbit: Semi‑major axis ≈2.69 AU; perihelion ≈2.07 AU; aphelion ≈3.31 AU; orbital eccentricity ≈0.23; inclination ≈15.0° relative to the ecliptic.
Related Topics
- Main asteroid belt
- C‑type (carbonaceous) asteroids
- Johann Palisa (discoverer)
- Asteroid naming conventions (Latinised place names)
- 1 Ceres, 2 Pallas, 4 Vesta (other large main‑belt asteroids)
All information presented reflects current, peer‑reviewed astronomical data as of 2026.