1218 Aster

1218 Aster, provisional designation, is a bright asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 5.5 kilometers in diameter. Discovered by Karl Reinmuth in 1932, it was later named after the flowering plant Aster.

Discovery
Aster was discovered on 29 January 1932, by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth at Heidelberg Observatory in southern Germany. Two nights later, it was independently discovered by Italian astronomer Mario A. Ferrero at the Pino Torinese Observatory at Turin, Italy.

Classification and orbit
Aster orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 2.0–2.5 AU once every 3 years and 5 months (1,244 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.11 and an inclination of 3° with respect to the ecliptic.

The asteroid's observation arc begins at the discovering observatory, one week after its official discovery observation.

Diameter and albedo
According to the survey carried out by the NEOWISE mission of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Aster measures 5.554 kilometers in diameter and its surface has an albedo of 0.332.

Lightcurves
As of 2017, rotational lightcurve of Aster has been obtained. The body's rotation period, shape and variation in magnitude shifted from unknown movements to specific identifiable spin/shape determinations.

Naming
The minor planet was named after the genus of flowers, Aster (also see ). The official naming citation was mentioned in The Names of the Minor Planets by Paul Herget in 1955 (H 113).