(5129) Groom Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 7 April 1989 by E. F. Helin at Palomar.
Named in honor of Steven L. Groom, a computer specialist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who designed and assembled the Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT) autonomous observing system, the first of its kind to search for near-Earth objects. He used his expertise in systems-level software (including device drivers), parallel processing architectures, network programming and device integration to make NEAT a success. The NEAT team wishes to salute his ingenuity and dedication to the project.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 5, #28, 5), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Groom is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Groom is 2.49 au from the Sun and 2.74 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 5129 |
| Provisional designation | 1989 GN |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 7.48 km (#7,123 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.346 |
| Rotation period | 3.64 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 12.98 |
| Orbital period | 3.67 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.38 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.18 – 2.58 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0854 |
| Inclination | 10.4° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.19 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Steven
- (6403) Steverin
- (6544) Stevendick
- (8195) Tamkin
- (9280) Stevenjoy
- (9926) Desch
- (10044) Squyres
- (10596) Stevensimpson
- (12104) Chesley
- (13415) Stevenbland
- (14438) MacLean
- (15941) Stevegauthier
- (16236) Stebrehmer
All asteroids named after someone called Steven