(12203) Gehling Main-belt Asteroid

Discovered on 2 March 1981 by S. J. Bus at Siding Spring.

Russell Neel Gehling (b. 1959) contributed to NASA's Lucy Trojan asteroid mission as the Solar Array Principal Engineer, until his retirement.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 1, #9, 10), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL

Where Gehling is today

MercuryVenusEarthEarthMarsMarsGehlingGehling

Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Gehling is 2.80 au from the Sun and 3.11 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.

Facts

Number12203
Provisional designation1981 EO19
Orbit classMain-belt Asteroid
Absolute magnitude (H)14.3
Orbital period5.15 years
Semi-major axis2.98 au
Perihelion – aphelion2.76 – 3.20 au
Eccentricity0.0732
Inclination8.76°
Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID)1.80 au

Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.

Also named after someone called Russell

Also discovered on 2 March 1981

More named asteroids discovered by S. J. Bus