(7215) Gerhard Outer Main-belt Asteroid

Discovered on 16 March 1977 by H.-E. Schuster at La Silla.

Named in memory of Gerhard Bachmann (1931-1996), who came to the European Southern Observatory in 1970 and was head of administration at the organization from 1972 to 1996. Throughout this time he greatly contributed to ESO's success. His unusual diplomatic abilities and thorough knowledge of the interaction of science and politics ensured the smooth running of the observatory and efficient interaction with the member countries and the European Union. The naming marks his retirement from ESO and subsequent untimely death. Name proposed by the discoverer. Citation prepared by R. M. West.Naming citation (19961224/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL

👶 Gerhard as a baby name

Where Gerhard is today

Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Gerhard is 3.20 au from the Sun and 2.46 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.

Facts

Number	7215
Provisional designation	1977 FS
Orbit class	Outer Main-belt Asteroid
Diameter	24.4 km (#1,741 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size)
Albedo	0.0680
Absolute magnitude (H)	12.07
Orbital period	5.75 years
Semi-major axis	3.21 au
Perihelion – aphelion	3.19 – 3.23 au
Eccentricity	0.00572
Inclination	20.7°
Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID)	2.18 au

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

Also discovered on 16 March 1977

More named asteroids discovered by H.-E. Schuster

All 25

← (7214) Anticlus · (7216) Ishkov →