(44041) Francoiselaunay Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 2 March 1998 by ODAS at Caussols.
Françoise Launay (b. 1944) was a research engineer at Meudon Observatory where she was the technical head for a very-high-resolution VUV spectrograph. She is involved in the preservation of historical instruments, undertook research on Cassini's Moon map and Laurent Cassegrain, and wrote a biography of Jules Janssen.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 2, #15, 13), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Francoiselaunay is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Francoiselaunay is 2.25 au from the Sun and 1.39 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 44041 |
| Provisional designation | 1998 ER1 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 16.02 |
| Orbital period | 3.39 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.26 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.11 – 2.41 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0664 |
| Inclination | 1.28° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.09 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 2 March 1998
- (8952) ODAS
- (16912) Rhiannon
- (17764) Schatzman
- (18634) Champigneulles
- (18635) Frouard
- (18636) Villedepompey
- (18637) Liverdun
- (18638) Nouet
- (18644) Arashiyama
- (19395) Barrera
- (19398) Creedence
- (22519) Gerardklein