(129176) Gerardcarter Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 2 June 2005 by CSS at Catalina.
Gerard Carter (b. 1958) is the Lockheed Martin Quality Engineering Lead for the OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission. Prior to serving in this role, he was the QE Lead for the MAVEN Mars Orbiter Mission and several other deep space missions.Naming citation (MPC batch dated 2016-08-18), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Gerardcarter is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Gerardcarter is 3.67 au from the Sun and 4.52 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 129176 |
| Provisional designation | 2005 LM2 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 6.59 km (#8,144 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0480 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.94 |
| Orbital period | 5.72 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.20 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.73 – 3.67 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.148 |
| Inclination | 13.2° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.73 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
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