(73703) Billings Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 6 October 1991 by A. Lowe at Palomar.
Gary W. Billings is a geophysicist and amateur astronomer in Calgary, Alberta. He discovered five minor planets in 1999. More recently, he has conducted extensive CCD photometry of variable stars in collaboration with observers worldwide. He served as a council member of the AAVSO from 2002 to 2004.Naming citation (20040713/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Billings is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Billings is 3.05 au from the Sun and 4.00 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 73703 |
| Provisional designation | 1991 TL15 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 4.11 km (#12,473 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.267 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.26 |
| Orbital period | 5.41 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.08 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.97 – 3.20 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0379 |
| Inclination | 10.7° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 2.00 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Gary
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- (7157) Lofgren
- (7273) Garyhuss
- (12272) Geddylee
- (19818) Shotwell
- (20046) Seronik
- (20317) Hendrickson
- (20573) Garynadler
- (21039) Zank
- (22406) Garyboyle
- (25233) Tallman
- (26541) Garyross
All asteroids named after someone called Gary
Also discovered on 6 October 1991
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- (55755) Blythe
- (65696) Pierrehenry
- (65697) Paulandrew
- (65698) Emmarochelle
- (73704) Hladiuk
- (85200) Johnhault
- (96192) Calgary
- (96193) Edmonton
- (100049) Cesarann
- (100050) Carloshernandez
- (100051) Davidhernandez