(17917) Cartan Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 15 April 1999 by P. G. Comba at Prescott.
Élie Cartan (1869-1951), the son of a blacksmith, became a very influential French mathematician. His major contribution is the development of the theory of exterior differential forms, which he applied to the study of Lie groups, differential geometry and systems of differential equations.Naming citation (20010309/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Cartan is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Cartan is 2.97 au from the Sun and 2.85 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 17917 |
| Provisional designation | 1999 GN5 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.57 |
| Orbital period | 4.13 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.57 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.16 – 2.99 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.162 |
| Inclination | 1.15° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.14 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also discovered on 15 April 1999
- (16039) Zeglin
- (17059) Elvis
- (17063) Papaloizou
- (17064) Ashnashah
- (17065) Shrilashah
- (17066) Ginagallant
- (17069) Adyantshankar
- (17070) Yanniksingh
- (17071) Spiride
- (17921) Aldeobaldia
- (17923) Strother
- (17925) Dougweinberg