(15992) Cynthia Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 18 December 1998 by G. Hug at Eskridge.
The name Cynthia can be translated to mean “of the moon”. While (15992) is certainly not from the moon, this minor planet was imaged many times with the moon above the horizon in order to achieve an accurate orbit. The name also happens to be that of the discoverer's life partner.Naming citation (20001013/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
👶 Cynthia as a baby name🐶 Cynthia as a dog name
Where Cynthia is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Cynthia is 2.43 au from the Sun and 2.20 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 15992 |
| Provisional designation | 1998 YL4 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 3.71 km (#13,427 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.198 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.31 |
| Orbital period | 3.54 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.32 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.17 – 2.48 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0663 |
| Inclination | 6.54° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.17 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.