(16809) Galapagos Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 21 October 1997 by Starkenburg at Heppenheim.
The Galápagos Islands are a world heritage site and provide a living history of evolution. Assisted by the Charles Darwin Research Station located there, scientists have made many discoveries. The station also helps to preserve this National Park with its famous animals, such as the giant tortoises and the Darwin finches.Naming citation (20010309/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Galapagos is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Galapagos is 2.48 au from the Sun and 2.88 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 16809 |
| Provisional designation | 1997 US |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 4.15 km (#12,386 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.235 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.47 |
| Orbital period | 4.30 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.64 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.47 – 2.81 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0641 |
| Inclination | 8.62° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.47 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.