(6212) Franzthaler Main-belt Asteroid

Discovered on 23 June 1993 by M. Nassir at Palomar.

Franz Thaler (1925-2015) was an author from South Tyrol, Italy and a survivor of Dachau and Hersbruck. Thaler's memoir, Unvergessen (Unforgotten), initiated the process of coming to terms with what happened during the Nazi era. He was a firm believer in the peaceful coexistence of the three ethnic groups living in South Tyrol.Naming citation (MPC batch dated 2017-01-12), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL

Where Franzthaler is today

Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Franzthaler is 2.50 au from the Sun and 2.76 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.

Facts

Number	6212
Provisional designation	1993 MS1
Orbit class	Main-belt Asteroid
Diameter	11.2 km (#4,463 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size)
Albedo	0.102
Rotation period	6.90 hours
Absolute magnitude (H)	12.81
Orbital period	3.89 years
Semi-major axis	2.47 au
Perihelion – aphelion	2.14 – 2.81 au
Eccentricity	0.135
Inclination	11.3°
Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID)	1.13 au

Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.

Also named after someone called Franz

All asteroids named after someone called Franz

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