(9423) Abt Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 12 January 1996 by Spacewatch at Kitt Peak.
Helmut Abt (b. 1925) is one of the founders of Kitt Peak National Observatory and is known for his fundamental studies of stellar characteristics, multiple stars and publication practices. As editor-in-chief, Abt shepherded the Astrophysical Journal into the current electronic age.Naming citation (20001111/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Abt is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Abt is 2.90 au from the Sun and 3.04 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 9423 |
| Provisional designation | 1996 AT7 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 12.7 km (#3,837 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.132 |
| Rotation period | 3.28 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 12.85 |
| Orbital period | 4.42 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.69 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.42 – 2.96 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.1000 |
| Inclination | 8.85° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.42 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Helmut
All asteroids named after someone called Helmut
Also discovered on 12 January 1996
- (9226) Arimahiroshi
- (9893) Sagano
- (11998) Fermilab
- (12432) Usuda
- (14054) Dusek
- (14505) Barentine
- (73827) Nakanohoshinokai
- (90844) Todai
- (118214) Agnesediboemia