(21578) Davidgillette Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 24 September 1998 by CSS at Catalina.
David D. Gillette (1946–2025) was an American paleontologist. He served as Utah State Paleontologist and Colbert Chair of Vertebrate Paleontology at the Museum of Northern Arizona. David published over 200 scientific papers and several books. He was a gifted communicator and worked with students of all ages.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 5, #4, 25), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Davidgillette is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Davidgillette is 2.43 au from the Sun and 3.33 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 21578 |
| Provisional designation | 1998 SN27 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 17.2 km (#2,622 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0370 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 12.99 |
| Orbital period | 4.32 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.65 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.40 – 2.91 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0960 |
| Inclination | 27.2° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.46 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
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