(18197) Brandondotson Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 24 September 1960 by van Houten, C. J., van Houten-Groeneveld, I., Gehrels, T. at Palomar.
Brandon Dotson (b. 1988) is an American planetary scientist who received a Ph.D. in Physics from University of Central Florida in 2025. He is a leader in the theoretical and experimental study of how rocket exhaust plumes interact with asteroid and lunar regoliths, particularly how their mechanical properties affect plume ejecta.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 6, #10, 7), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Brandondotson is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Brandondotson is 2.69 au from the Sun and 1.90 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 18197 |
| Provisional designation | 2055 P-L |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 2.78 km (#15,705 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.318 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.88 |
| Orbital period | 3.64 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.37 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.04 – 2.69 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.139 |
| Inclination | 8.79° |
| 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 named after someone called Brandon
- (15020) Brandonimber
- (16067) Brandonfan
- (16168) Palmen
- (17929) Sully
- (17954) Hopkins
- (23295) Brandoreavis
- (23855) Brandonshih
- (25783) Brandontyler
- (26504) Brandonli
- (30271) Brandoncui
- (33606) Brandonmuncan
- (115477) Brantanica
All asteroids named after someone called Brandon
Also discovered on 24 September 1960
- (1743) Schmidt
- (1744) Harriet
- (1776) Kuiper
- (1777) Gehrels
- (1795) Woltjer
- (1808) Bellerophon
- (1809) Prometheus
- (1810) Epimetheus
- (1811) Bruwer
- (1812) Gilgamesh
- (1846) Bengt
- (1868) Thersites