(13551) Gadsden Mars-crossing Asteroid
Discovered on 26 March 1992 by R. H. McNaught at Siding Spring.
Michael Gadsden (1933-2003) worked during the International Geophysical Year on airglow and aurorae in New Zealand and Antarctica and later at Boulder and Aberdeen. He was an authority on noctilucent clouds and secretary general of the International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy.Naming citation (20070106/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Gadsden is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Gadsden is 3.48 au from the Sun and 2.52 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 13551 |
| Provisional designation | 1992 FL1 |
| Orbit class | Mars-crossing Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 16.46 |
| Orbital period | 3.99 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.51 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.43 – 3.60 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.432 |
| Inclination | 5.26° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.438 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Michael
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