(9995) Alouette Main-belt Asteroid

Discovered on 24 September 1960 by van Houten, C. J., van Houten-Groeneveld, I., Gehrels, T. at Palomar.

The first Canadian satellite Alouette-1 was launched on 1962 Sept. 29. It was engaged in research and exploration of the upper atmosphere, especially the ionosphere. During its six-year lifespan it returned the first useful data on the ionosphere. The citation was prepared by W. Fröger.Naming citation (20001111/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL

Where Alouette is today

Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Alouette is 2.44 au from the Sun and 2.02 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.

Facts

Number	9995
Provisional designation	4805 P-L
Orbit class	Main-belt Asteroid
Diameter	2.56 km (#16,140 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size)
Albedo	0.245
Absolute magnitude (H)	15.15
Orbital period	3.70 years
Semi-major axis	2.39 au
Perihelion – aphelion	2.01 – 2.77 au
Eccentricity	0.159
Inclination	2.30°
Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID)	1.00 au

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

Also discovered on 24 September 1960

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

All 958

← (9994) Grotius · (9996) ANS →