(779957) Dolea Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 26 February 2012 by EURONEAR at Roque de los Muchachos.
Paul Dolea (b. 1957) is a Romanian physicist working in space sciences and technologies at the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca. He has been involved in national and ESA projects, and he co-founded the Astronomical Observatory Mărișel, a dedicated research and training laboratory hosting many educational and public-outreach events.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 5, #26, 10), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Dolea is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Dolea is 2.58 au from the Sun and 2.25 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 779957 |
| Provisional designation | 2012 DB86 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 17.93 |
| Orbital period | 4.32 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.65 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.34 – 2.96 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.116 |
| Inclination | 4.77° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.34 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Paul
- (3743) Pauljaniczek
- (4148) McCartney
- (4194) Sweitzer
- (5065) Johnstone
- (5553) Chodas
- (5997) Dirac
- (6226) Paulwarren
- (6384) Kervin
- (6629) Kurtz
- (6726) Suthers
- (6870) Pauldavies
- (7560) Spudis
All asteroids named after someone called Paul