(9556) Gaywray Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 8 April 1986 by INAS at Palomar.
Gay Firestone Wray is an enthusiastic contributor to astronomy research through the Firestone postdoctoral fellowship at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. A volunteer leader with many charitable organizations, she has contributed greatly to the Smithsonian's mandate for the “increase and diffusion of knowledge”.Naming citation (20090209/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Gaywray is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Gaywray is 2.73 au from the Sun and 1.93 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 9556 |
| Provisional designation | 1986 GF |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 5.96 km (#8,993 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.263 |
| Rotation period | 920 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.61 |
| Orbital period | 3.53 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.32 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.91 – 2.74 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.179 |
| Inclination | 23.6° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.952 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.