(71885) Denning Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 16 November 2000 by Spacewatch at Kitt Peak.
British amateur astronomer William Frederick Denning (1848-1931) was renowned for his visual study of the heights and velocities of meteors and for his catalogues of meteor radiants. He also maintained an interest in Jupiter's red spot and discovered five comets, two of them of short period.Naming citation (20091004/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Denning is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Denning is 2.51 au from the Sun and 3.33 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 71885 |
| Provisional designation | 2000 WD |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 2.01 km (#17,031 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.230 |
| Rotation period | 83.7 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 15.78 |
| Orbital period | 3.47 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.29 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.03 – 2.56 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.116 |
| Inclination | 5.89° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.05 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called William
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- (2220) Hicks
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- (4838) Billmclaughlin
- (5345) Boynton
- (5763) Williamtobin
- (6012) Williammurdoch
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All asteroids named after someone called William