(4603) Bertaud Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 25 November 1986 by CERGA at Caussols.
Named in honor of Charles Bertaud, under whose leadership at Meudon the discoverer began his astronomical work. Well known as an observer of comets, supernovae and particular stars, he was one of the initiators of the project that led to the construction of Schmidt telescope at Caussols.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 6, #10, 5), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Bertaud is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Bertaud is 3.13 au from the Sun and 3.42 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 4603 |
| Provisional designation | 1986 WM3 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 22.5 km (#1,909 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0500 |
| Rotation period | 265 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 12.39 |
| Orbital period | 4.27 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.63 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.01 – 3.26 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.237 |
| Inclination | 12.5° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.03 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Charles
- (1991) Darwin
- (4939) Scovil
- (5202) Charleseliot
- (7011) Worley
- (7781) Townsend
- (9714) Piazzismyth
- (10320) Reiland
- (11356) Chuckjones
- (11778) Kingsford Smith
- (11849) Fauvel
- (12259) Szukalski
- (13801) Kohlhase
All asteroids named after someone called Charles