(15338) Dufault Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 5 January 1994 by Spacewatch at Kitt Peak.
Named in honor of Michele Dufault (1988-2011), an outstanding astronomy and physics student at Yale College who died in an accident just weeks before graduation. Michele was passionate about science and about encouraging others, especially young women, to pursue science careers. Citation by M. Urry.Naming citation (20110715/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Dufault is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Dufault is 3.19 au from the Sun and 2.52 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 15338 |
| Provisional designation | 1994 AZ4 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 3.90 km (#12,992 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.320 |
| Rotation period | 9.35 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.49 |
| Orbital period | 4.99 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.92 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.54 – 3.30 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.129 |
| Inclination | 2.94° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.54 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
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