(20138) Carinalee Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 17 August 1996 by NEAT at Haleakala.
Carina Lee (b. 1988) is an American planetary scientist and SHERLOC team member. An expert in prebiotic chemistry, she leads research into the preservation of organic molecules within Martian minerals and the effects of chirality, helping to distinguish potential biosignatures from abiotic chemistry in Jezero Crater.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 6, #9, 12), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Carinalee is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Carinalee is 1.99 au from the Sun and 2.37 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 20138 |
| Provisional designation | 1996 QP |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 15.37 |
| Orbital period | 3.39 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.25 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.93 – 2.58 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.142 |
| Inclination | 7.06° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.923 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Carina
All asteroids named after someone called Carina