(47005) Chengmaolan Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 16 October 1998 by Beijing Schmidt CCD Asteroid Program at Xinglong.
Maolan Cheng (1905-1978) was the first director of the Beijing Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences. He initiated modern astrophysical research in China.Naming citation (20060613/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Chengmaolan is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Chengmaolan is 3.12 au from the Sun and 3.66 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 47005 |
| Provisional designation | 1998 UP8 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 4.01 km (#12,713 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0910 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 15.24 |
| Orbital period | 4.45 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.71 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.15 – 3.26 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.205 |
| Inclination | 1.76° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.15 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.