(15938) Bohnenblust Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 27 December 1997 by P. G. Comba at Prescott.
H. Frederic Bohnenblust (1906-2000) was a Swiss-American mathematician who held professorships at Princeton and later at Caltech, where he became dean of graduate studies. A great teacher and a strong advocate of mathematical education, he was the discoverer's thesis adviser.Naming citation (20001111/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Bohnenblust is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Bohnenblust is 2.64 au from the Sun and 2.14 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 15938 |
| Provisional designation | 1997 YA8 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 4.78 km (#11,043 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.310 |
| Rotation period | 3.91 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.03 |
| Orbital period | 3.85 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.45 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.95 – 2.96 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.208 |
| Inclination | 12.0° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.955 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Frederic
- (10343) Church
- (19354) Fredkoehler
- (20044) Vitoux
- (20552) Moynier
- (20608) Fredmerlin
- (23882) Fredcourant
- (177722) Pelletier
- (230151) Vachier
- (301128) Fredericpont
- (333268) Fredseguin
All asteroids named after someone called Frederic
Also discovered on 27 December 1997
- (8432) Tamakasuga
- (10234) Sixtygarden
- (16861) Lipovetsky
- (31189) Tricomi
- (31190) Toussaint
- (33103) Pintar
- (52649) Chrismith
- (65885) Lubenow