(11267) Donaldkessler Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 24 October 1981 by S. J. Bus at Palomar.
Donald J. Kessler (b. 1940) is the founder of the modern field of orbital debris, having worked as head of the orbital debris office at NASA from the time of its founding until 1996.Naming citation (MPC batch dated 2017-03-12), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Donaldkessler is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Donaldkessler is 2.72 au from the Sun and 3.37 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 11267 |
| Provisional designation | 1981 UE28 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 11.1 km (#4,515 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0480 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.99 |
| Orbital period | 4.64 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.78 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.56 – 3.00 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0791 |
| Inclination | 3.91° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.55 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Donald
- (2956) Yeomans
- (4794) Bogard
- (6107) Osterbrock
- (6478) Gault
- (6688) Donmccarthy
- (8875) Fernie
- (9122) Hunten
- (9177) Donsaari
- (9295) Donaldyoung
- (9448) Donaldavies
- (11419) Donjohnson
- (12410) Donald Duck
All asteroids named after someone called Donald
Also discovered on 24 October 1981
- (3088) Jinxiuzhonghua
- (4623) Obraztsova
- (6366) Rainerwieler
- (7049) Meibom
- (7160) Tokunaga
- (7326) Tedbunch
- (8807) Schenk
- (8808) Luhmann
- (9003) Ralphmilliken
- (9536) Statler
- (10033) Bodewits
- (10707) Prunariu
More named asteroids discovered by S. J. Bus
- (2285) Ron Helin
- (2780) Monnig
- (2791) Paradise
- (2884) Reddish
- (2919) Dali
- (2980) Cameron
- (2981) Chagall
- (2990) Trimberger
- (3000) Leonardo
- (3029) Sanders
- (3030) Vehrenberg
- (3042) Zelinsky
← (11266) Macke · (11268) Spassky →