(18555) Courant Main-belt Asteroid

Discovered on 4 February 1997 by P. G. Comba at Prescott.

Richard Courant (1888-1972) studied and later taught at Göttingen. In 1934 he became a professor at New York University, where he founded and led one of the most prestigious institutes of applied mathematics, later named in his honor.Naming citation (20010309/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL

Where Courant is today

MercuryVenusEarthEarthMarsMarsCourantCourant

Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Courant is 2.93 au from the Sun and 3.85 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.

Facts

Number18555
Provisional designation1997 CN4
Orbit classMain-belt Asteroid
Absolute magnitude (H)14.59
Orbital period4.76 years
Semi-major axis2.83 au
Perihelion – aphelion2.72 – 2.94 au
Eccentricity0.0385
Inclination1.24°
Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID)1.74 au

Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.

Also named after someone called Richard

Also discovered on 4 February 1997

More named asteroids discovered by P. G. Comba