(4209) Briggs Main-belt Asteroid

Discovered on 4 October 1986 by E. F. Helin at Palomar.

Named in honor of Geoffrey A. Briggs, space physicist, former Director of the Solar System Exploration program at NASA headquarters, where he played a leading role in establishing the U.S.-Soviet Joint Working Group for Solar System Exploration and served as co-chairman. In the 1970s he was at JPL as an active member of the Viking Orbiter Imaging Team. Currently with the Air and Space Museum, Briggs continues to energize the presentation of Space related accomplishments to the public. The discoverer wishes to acknowledge his long-term support and enthusiasm for solar system research. The naming is heartily endorsed by Jurgen Rahe and the scientific community who have known him as a serious, hardworking scientist trying to accomplish the most with limited resources.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 4, #10, 4), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL

👶 Briggs as a baby name 🐶 Briggs as a dog name

Where Briggs is today

Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Briggs is 3.04 au from the Sun and 2.31 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.

Facts

Number	4209
Provisional designation	1986 TG4
Orbit class	Main-belt Asteroid
Diameter	31.3 km (#1,307 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size)
Albedo	0.0930
Rotation period	12.2 hours
Absolute magnitude (H)	11.53
Orbital period	5.61 years
Semi-major axis	3.16 au
Perihelion – aphelion	2.90 – 3.41 au
Eccentricity	0.0806
Inclination	21.6°
Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID)	1.89 au

Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.

Also named after someone called Geoffrey

All asteroids named after someone called Geoffrey

Also discovered on 4 October 1986

More named asteroids discovered by E. F. Helin

All 267

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