(8439) Albellus Main-belt Asteroid

Discovered on 29 September 1973 by van Houten, C. J., van Houten-Groeneveld, I., Gehrels, T. at Palomar.

Named for Mergus albellus, or smew.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 2, #8, 4), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL

Where Albellus is today

MercuryVenusEarthEarthMarsMarsAlbellusAlbellus

Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Albellus is 2.96 au from the Sun and 3.95 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.

Facts

Number8439
Provisional designation2034 T-2
Orbit classMain-belt Asteroid
Diameter10.7 km (#4,731 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size)
Albedo0.0610
Absolute magnitude (H)13.75
Orbital period5.61 years
Semi-major axis3.16 au
Perihelion – aphelion2.71 – 3.61 au
Eccentricity0.142
Inclination0.987°
Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID)1.73 au

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

Also discovered on 29 September 1973

More named asteroids discovered by van Houten, C. J., van Houten-Groeneveld, I., Gehrels, T.