(13478) Fraunhofer Inner Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 27 February 1976 by F. Borngen at Tautenburg.
Joseph von Fraunhofer (1787-1826), a German autodidact, glassmaker, optician and scientist, had an uncommon talent. He improved the telescope, invented the diffraction grid, and measured the wavelengths of the absorption lines in the solar spectrum. In 1824 the Bavarian king elevated him to the nobility.Naming citation (20000726/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Fraunhofer is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Fraunhofer is 1.90 au from the Sun and 2.51 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 13478 |
| Provisional designation | 1976 DB1 |
| Orbit class | Inner Main-belt Asteroid |
| Rotation period | 49.9 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 15.41 |
| Orbital period | 2.67 years |
| Semi-major axis | 1.92 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.70 – 2.14 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.115 |
| Inclination | 18.7° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.796 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Joseph
- (2157) Ashbrook
- (4225) Hobart
- (5034) Joeharrington
- (5577) Priestley
- (5883) Josephblack
- (6540) Stepling
- (6743) Liu
- (7656) Joemontani
- (8023) Josephwalker
- (8255) Masiero
- (8661) Ratzinger
- (8794) Joepatterson
All asteroids named after someone called Joseph
Also discovered on 27 February 1976
More named asteroids discovered by F. Borngen
- (3181) Ahnert
- (3245) Jensch
- (3338) Richter
- (3539) Weimar
- (3540) Protesilaos
- (3802) Dornburg
- (3808) Tempel
- (3826) Handel
- (3917) Franz Schubert
- (3941) Haydn
- (3943) Silbermann
- (3954) Mendelssohn
← (13477) Utkin · (13479) Vet →