(121016) Christopharnold Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 18 January 1999 by J. Kandler at Drebach.
Christoph Arnold (1650-1695) was a German amateur astronomer. Born in Sommerfeld near Leipzig, Arnold was a farmer by profession. He observed the 1690 transit of Mercury and made observations of the comets of 1683 and 1686.Naming citation (20121029/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Christopharnold is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Christopharnold is 1.89 au from the Sun and 1.12 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 121016 |
| Provisional designation | 1999 BW3 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 2.17 km (#16,812 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.258 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 15.54 |
| Orbital period | 3.54 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.32 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.67 – 2.98 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.282 |
| Inclination | 26.2° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.710 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Christoph
- (5364) Christophschafer
- (6314) Reigber
- (8108) Wieland
- (10839) Hufeland
- (20487) Lhotka
- (25885) Wiesinger
- (61850) Christophbrunner
- (668527) Christophgerhard
All asteroids named after someone called Christoph
Also discovered on 18 January 1999
- (15076) Joellewis
- (15476) Narendra
- (17880) Vanessaparker
- (29730) Bethwestfall
- (29747) Acorlando
- (31439) Mieyamanaka
- (33372) Jonathanchung