(63609) Francoisecolas Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 20 August 2001 by Pic du Midi at Pic du Midi.
Françoise Colas (b. 1958) is a French amateur astronomer who has taken part in numerous trans-Neptunian stellar occultation observations all over the world. She is also part of the observation team at the Pic du Midi 1-m telescope.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 4, #9, 7), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Francoisecolas is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Francoisecolas is 3.30 au from the Sun and 3.44 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 63609 |
| Provisional designation | 2001 QY72 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 5.09 km (#10,452 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.108 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.87 |
| Orbital period | 5.17 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.99 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.68 – 3.30 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.103 |
| Inclination | 2.05° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.70 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Francoise
All asteroids named after someone called Francoise
Also discovered on 20 August 2001
- (32564) Glass
- (32569) Deming
- (32570) Peruindiana
- (32571) Brayton
- (32590) Cynthiachen
- (32614) Hacegarcia
- (34738) Hulbert
- (51915) Andry
- (63605) Budperry
- (88611) Teharonhiawako
- (109573) Mishasmirnov
- (146442) Dwaynebrown