(12159) Bettybiegel Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 29 September 1973 by van Houten, C. J., van Houten-Groeneveld, I., Gehrels, T. at Palomar.
Rebekka A. “Betty” Biegel (1886–1943) studied astronomy in Leiden, obtained her doctorate in Zürich, pursued psychology in Utrecht and developed psychological instruments for testing people. She committed suicide by cyanide rather than allow herself to be transported to Auschwitz. The name was suggested by W. R. Dick.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 4, #12, 5), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Bettybiegel is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Bettybiegel is 2.66 au from the Sun and 1.85 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 12159 |
| Provisional designation | 1142 T-2 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 2.91 km (#15,428 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.398 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.59 |
| Orbital period | 3.74 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.41 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.05 – 2.77 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.150 |
| Inclination | 1.35° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.05 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also discovered on 29 September 1973
- (2049) Grietje
- (4357) Korinthos
- (4549) Burkhardt
- (4721) Atahualpa
- (4752) Myron
- (4876) Strabo
- (4978) Seitz
- (5151) Weerstra
- (5197) Rottmann
- (5243) Clasien
- (5244) Amphilochos
- (5266) Rauch