(142562) Graetz Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 10 October 2002 by M. Kretlow at Trebur.
The German Officer Paul Graetz (1875-1968) was the first person to cross southern Africa by automobile. He started at Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) on 1907 Aug. 10 and completed the challenging 5000-km journey at Swakopmund (Namibia) on 1909 May 1. During 1911-1912 he traveled across Africa by motor-boat.Naming citation (20070402/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Graetz is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Graetz is 2.55 au from the Sun and 1.92 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 142562 |
| Provisional designation | 2002 TL69 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 16.49 |
| Orbital period | 4.12 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.57 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.43 – 2.71 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0552 |
| Inclination | 5.94° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.44 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also discovered on 10 October 2002
- (78756) Sloan
- (90022) Apache Point
- (113951) Artdavidsen
- (113952) Schramm
- (127517) Kaikepan
- (133009) Watters
- (135979) Allam
- (135980) Scottanderson
- (142758) Connolly
- (142759) Covey
- (142760) Csabai
- (163624) Moorthy