(17445) Avatcha Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 28 December 1989 by E. W. Elst at Haute Provence.
Avatcha Bay, on the southeastern coast of the Kamchatka peninsula, was used by Vitus Bering as a base during the expeditions that resulted in the discovery of Alaska. The French astronomer Louis Delisle de la Croyère (1690-1741) died from scurvy during the second expedition and was buried at the edge of the bay.Naming citation (20060809/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Avatcha is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Avatcha is 3.53 au from the Sun and 4.40 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 17445 |
| Provisional designation | 1989 YC5 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 20.5 km (#2,144 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0380 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 12.65 |
| Orbital period | 5.62 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.16 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.32 – 4.00 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.265 |
| Inclination | 15.2° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.35 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also discovered on 28 December 1989
- (5778) Jurafrance
- (7755) Haute-Provence
- (8491) Joelle-gilles
- (11875) Rhone
- (15249) Capodimonte
- (19148) Alaska