(4819) Gifford Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 24 May 1985 by Gilmore, A. C., Kilmartin, P. M. at Lake Tekapo.
Algernon Charles Gifford (1861-1948) published important papers on the impact origin of lunar craters. He established an observatory at Wellington College, which is now reopening as Gifford Observatory. Mt. Gifford and the Gifford Crack, in Fiordland, are named for his legendary exploits in tramping and photography.Naming citation (20020328/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Gifford is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Gifford is 2.27 au from the Sun and 2.57 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 4819 |
| Provisional designation | 1985 KC |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 3.84 km (#13,136 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.101 |
| Rotation period | 618 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.46 |
| Orbital period | 3.27 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.20 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.13 – 2.27 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0308 |
| Inclination | 5.80° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.12 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
More named asteroids discovered by Gilmore, A. C., Kilmartin, P. M.
- (2434) Bateson
- (3087) Beatrice Tinsley
- (3152) Jones
- (3305) Ceadams
- (3400) Aotearoa
- (3521) Comrie
- (3563) Canterbury
- (3810) Aoraki
- (4154) Rumsey
- (4243) Nankivell
- (4248) Ranald
- (4409) Kissling
← (4818) Elgar · (4820) Fay →