(720549) Cirik Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 21 October 2001 by NEAT at Palomar.
Önder Cırık (1979–2023) was a Turkish intellectual, ecologist, and nature documentarian who conducted research on the natural history of Anatolia. He worked on nature conservation, wildlife research, sustainable development, and biocultural tourism in Turkey. Önder organized special seaside trips for rural children who had never seen the sea in their lives.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 6, #10, 12), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Cirik is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Cirik is 3.01 au from the Sun and 3.57 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 720549 |
| Provisional designation | 2001 US224 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 16.72 |
| Orbital period | 5.27 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.03 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.68 – 3.38 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.114 |
| Inclination | 10.9° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.70 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.