(6688) Donmccarthy Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 2 March 1981 by S. J. Bus at Siding Spring.
Since the 1970s, Donald W. McCarthy (b. 1948) has been an instrumental part of astronomy education and research at the University of Arizona. He specializes in infrared astronomy and instrumentation and has been an inspiration to his students and to the hundreds who have participated in his Astronomy Camps.Naming citation (20030318/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Donmccarthy is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Donmccarthy is 3.45 au from the Sun and 4.06 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 6688 |
| Provisional designation | 1981 ER17 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 8.91 km (#5,821 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.169 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.14 |
| Orbital period | 5.48 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.11 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.58 – 3.64 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.171 |
| Inclination | 4.83° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.58 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
- (8875) Fernie
- (9122) Hunten
- (9177) Donsaari
- (9295) Donaldyoung
- (9448) Donaldavies
- (11267) Donaldkessler
- (11419) Donjohnson
- (12410) Donald Duck
All asteroids named after someone called Donald
Also discovered on 2 March 1981
- (2884) Reddish
- (2919) Dali
- (2980) Cameron
- (2981) Chagall
- (2990) Trimberger
- (3000) Leonardo
- (3121) Tamines
- (3122) Florence
- (3207) Spinrad
- (3252) Johnny
- (3304) Pearce
- (3524) Schulz
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
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