(12678) Gerhardus Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 2 March 1981 by S. J. Bus at Siding Spring.
Joerg Gerhardus (b. 1968) contributed to NASA's Lucy Mission as the Payload Safety and Mission Assurance Manager.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 1, #9, 12), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Gerhardus is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Gerhardus is 2.26 au from the Sun and 2.81 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 12678 |
| Provisional designation | 1981 EQ20 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 15.16 |
| Orbital period | 4.05 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.54 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.22 – 2.86 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.125 |
| Inclination | 2.47° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.21 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also discovered on 2 March 1981
- (2884) Reddish
- (2919) Dali
- (2980) Cameron
- (2981) Chagall
- (2990) Trimberger
- (3000) Leonardo
- (3121) Tamines
- (3122) Florence
- (3207) Spinrad
- (3252) Johnny
- (3304) Pearce
- (3524) Schulz