(27 January 2016) The Astronomical Observatory of the University of Siena is the protagonist of a binary nature discovery regarding asteroid 2242 Balaton (the term binary asteroid – or double asteroid – refers to a system where two asteroids orbit around a center of common gravity, such as binary stars). The confirmation came in recent days thanks to the electronic telegram at the Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegram of the International Astronomical Union. Asteroid 2242 Balaton, named after the great Hungarian lake, discovered in Budapest in 1936 and whose size is estimated at about 6 km in diameter, has a satellite, a small moon of about 1.5 km, a new body that accompanies the asteroid in its eternal journey around the sun. The first images that announced the discovery were collected by Alessandro Marchini, head of the Observatory at the University of Siena. Other experts later confirmed the discovery, including Dan Klinglesmith in New Mexico, Donald Pray in Massachusetts, the San Marcello Pistoiese and the Observatory of Val d’Aosta, while expert Petr Pravec in the Czech Republic managed the analysis of all comments. (Red)
