(181872) Cathaysa Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 21 March 1999 by Sloan Digital Sky Survey at Apache Point.
Cathaysa was the name of a Guanche aboriginal girl who lived in Tenerife and was sold in Valencia as a slave in 1494, as well as the daughter (b. 2005) of the Spanish astronomer David Martinez-Delgado. This name recognizes the Canary Islands' contribution to astronomy.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 1, #4, 8), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Cathaysa is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Cathaysa is 2.50 au from the Sun and 3.49 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 181872 |
| Provisional designation | 1999 FL90 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 16.14 |
| Orbital period | 4.57 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.75 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.37 – 3.13 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.138 |
| Inclination | 13.4° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.40 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.