(18653) Christagunt Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 28 March 1998 by Starkenburg at Heppenheim.
Christa (b. 1938) and Günter Rothermel (b. 1938) are the parents of Jens Rothermel, one of the discoverers of this minor planet. They led him to astronomy as his hobby. They support their two children (Thomas and Jens) in an excellent way. The family lives at the “Bergstrasse”, a beautiful region in Germany.Naming citation (20030318/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Christagunt is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Christagunt is 2.53 au from the Sun and 2.23 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 18653 |
| Provisional designation | 1998 FW15 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 3.22 km (#14,660 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.186 |
| Rotation period | 5.26 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.87 |
| Orbital period | 3.68 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.38 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.98 – 2.78 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.168 |
| Inclination | 10.5° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.990 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Gunter
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- (11496) Grass
- (19993) Gunterseeber
- (24646) Stober
- (30851) Reissfelder
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All asteroids named after someone called Gunter
Also discovered on 28 March 1998
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- (19453) Murdochorne
- (20314) Johnharrison
- (20316) Jerahalpern
- (37865) Georgesattard
- (58756) Malgoyre