78 Diana - Definition and Overview

**78 Diana**
Orbital characteristics ^{1 (ftp://ftp.lowell.edu/pub/elgb/astorb.html)}
Orbit type	Main belt
Semimajor axis	2.619 AU
Perihelion distance	2.075 AU
Aphelion distance	3.164 AU
Orbital period	4.24 years
Inclination	8.69°
Eccentricity	0.208
Physical characteristics ^{1 (ftp://ftp.lowell.edu/pub/elgb/astorb.html)}
Diameter	120.6 km
Rotation period ^{3 (http://charlie.psi.edu/pds/)}	7.225 hours
Spectral class	C
Abs. magnitude	8.09
Albedo ^{4 (http://dorothy.as.arizona.edu/DSN/IRAS/index_iras.html)}	0.071
History ^{2 (http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/lists/NumberedMPs.html)}
Discoverer	R. Luther, 1863

78 Diana is a large and dark main belt asteroid. Its composition is carbonaceous and primitive.

It was discovered by Robert Luther on March 15, 1863 and named after Diana, Roman goddess of the hunt.

78 Diana occulted a star on September 4, 1980. A diameter of 116 km was measured, closely matching the value given by the IRAS satellite.

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