(15417) Babylon Outer Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 27 February 1998 by E. W. Elst at La Silla.
Babylon, one of the most famous cities of antiquity, was the capital of southern Mesopotamia, the region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The legendary Hanging Gardens of the city, one of the seven wonders of the world, have inspired many classical authors.Naming citation (20030806/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Babylon is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Babylon is 4.09 au from the Sun and 3.30 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 15417 |
| Provisional designation | 1998 DH34 |
| Orbit class | Outer Main-belt Asteroid |
| Rotation period | 39.3 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 11.95 |
| Orbital period | 7.78 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.93 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 3.72 – 4.13 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0518 |
| Inclination | 3.18° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 2.71 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also discovered on 27 February 1998
- (9452) Rogerpeeters
- (10934) Pauldelvaux
- (11166) Anatolefrance
- (15006) Samcristoforetti
- (15418) Sergiospinelli
- (15968) Waltercugno
- (16900) Lozere
- (16909) Miladejager
- (18623) Pises
- (18624) Prevert
- (18626) Michaelcarr
- (18627) Rogerbonnet