(1491) Balduinus Outer Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 23 February 1938 by E. Delporte at Uccle.
This planet is named in honor of Baudouin, King of the Belgians. It was the intention of the discoverer, the late Professor E. Delporte, long time observer at the Royal Observatory of Belgium, to honor his king and his patron in this way.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 5, #16, 4), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Balduinus is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Balduinus is 3.66 au from the Sun and 3.75 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 1491 |
| Provisional designation | 1938 EJ |
| Orbit class | Outer Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 21.9 km (#1,974 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0480 |
| Rotation period | 15.3 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 11.39 |
| Orbital period | 5.84 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.24 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.83 – 3.66 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.128 |
| Inclination | 3.64° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.84 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.