(9956) Castellaz Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 5 October 1991 by Schmadel, L. D., Borngen, F. at Tautenburg.
German physicist Peter Castellaz (b. 1965) works in the Department of Science and Arts of the state of Baden-Württemberg. A specialist for fundamental aspects in research, he was instrumental in the support of work on minor planets at the Astronomisches Rechen-Institut. The name was suggested by L. D. Schmadel.Naming citation (20010509/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Castellaz is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Castellaz is 2.51 au from the Sun and 2.93 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 9956 |
| Provisional designation | 1991 TX4 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 3.75 km (#13,321 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.315 |
| Rotation period | 2.39 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.52 |
| Orbital period | 3.29 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.21 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.89 – 2.53 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.144 |
| Inclination | 5.83° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.919 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Peter
- (2382) Nonie
- (4314) Dervan
- (4507) Petercollins
- (5153) Gierasch
- (7527) Marples
- (7925) Shelus
- (8086) Peterthomas
- (8160) Petererwin
- (8280) Petergruber
- (8395) Rembaut
- (9207) Petersmith
- (9269) Peterolufemi
All asteroids named after someone called Peter