(12496) Ekholm Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 22 March 1998 by Spacewatch at Kitt Peak.
As a promising planetary scientist, Andreas G. Ekholm (1975-2001) contributed to the fields of impact cratering processes, geophysics of icy satellites, and photometry of KBOs and Centaurs. He was also active in humanitarian causes before his premature death in an automobile accident in his native Sweden.Naming citation (20021120/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Ekholm is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Ekholm is 2.46 au from the Sun and 1.75 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 12496 |
| Provisional designation | 1998 FF9 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 3.13 km (#14,889 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.344 |
| Rotation period | 2.55 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.74 |
| Orbital period | 3.82 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.44 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.98 – 2.90 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.188 |
| Inclination | 3.84° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.971 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Andreas
- (8164) Andreasdoppler
- (10210) Nathues
- (12618) Cellarius
- (17368) Korn
- (26429) Andiwagner
- (58098) Quirrenbach
- (112233) Kammerer
- (140602) Berlind
- (145566) Andreasphilipp
- (216624) Kaufer
- (263391) Gruntzig
- (267003) Burkert
All asteroids named after someone called Andreas
Also discovered on 22 March 1998
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- (9122) Hunten
- (11695) Mattei
- (11696) Capen
- (11704) Gorin
- (12079) Kaibab
- (12084) Unno
- (13234) Natashaowen
- (15970) Robertbrownlee
- (17776) Troska
- (17822) Tonireland
- (20315) Dotson