(4012) Geballe Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 7 November 1978 by Helin, E. F., Bus, S. J. at Palomar.
T. R. Geballe (b. 1944) is responsible for pioneering the first infrared spectral classification system for substellar objects. Discoveries include H3+ in the giant planets and interstellar medium, non-LTE emission from Saturn VI (Titan), and countless IR observations of circumstellar and interstellar molecular sources.Naming citation (20041126/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Geballe is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Geballe is 2.44 au from the Sun and 3.14 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 4012 |
| Provisional designation | 1978 VK9 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 5.81 km (#9,214 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.229 |
| Rotation period | 5.89 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.54 |
| Orbital period | 3.37 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.25 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.88 – 2.61 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.163 |
| Inclination | 4.57° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.886 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also discovered on 7 November 1978
- (2324) Janice
- (2440) Educatio
- (2499) Brunk
- (2611) Boyce
- (2725) David Bender
- (2925) Beatty
- (3240) Laocoon
- (3449) Abell
- (3651) Friedman
- (3718) Dunbar
- (3926) Ramirez
- (4069) Blakee
More named asteroids discovered by Helin, E. F., Bus, S. J.
- (2324) Janice
- (2343) Siding Spring
- (2392) Jonathan Murray
- (2440) Educatio
- (2441) Hibbs
- (2499) Brunk
- (2611) Boyce
- (2618) Coonabarabran
- (2619) Skalnate Pleso
- (2628) Kopal
- (2682) Soromundi
- (2704) Julian Loewe
← (4011) Bakharev · (4013) Ogiria →