(3192) A'Hearn Main-belt Asteroid

Discovered on 30 January 1982 by E. Bowell at Anderson Mesa.

Named in honor of Michael F. A'Hearn, professor of astronomy at the University of Maryland. A prominent student of cometary physics, A'Hearn has pursued coordinated spectroscopic and spectrophotometric observations of comets spanning the spectral interval from the vacuum ultraviolet to the radio region. He participated in the 1983 discovery with the IUE spacecraft of diatomic sulphur in the spectrum of Comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock (1983d) and has made many other important contributions to our current understanding of comets. Citation prepared by R. L. Millis.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 4, #9, 4), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL

Where A'Hearn is today

Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: A'Hearn is 2.28 au from the Sun and 3.16 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.

Facts

Number	3192
Provisional designation	1982 BY1
Orbit class	Main-belt Asteroid
Diameter	4.36 km (#11,925 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size)
Albedo	0.283
Rotation period	3.16 hours
Spectral type	C
Absolute magnitude (H)	13.9
Orbital period	3.66 years
Semi-major axis	2.38 au
Perihelion – aphelion	1.97 – 2.78 au
Eccentricity	0.170
Inclination	2.88°
Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID)	0.986 au

Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.

Also named after someone called Michael

All asteroids named after someone called Michael

Also discovered on 30 January 1982

More named asteroids discovered by E. Bowell

All 554

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