(52873) Grootaerd Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 22 September 1998 by ODAS at Caussols.
Jean-Pierre Grootaerd (b. 1956) is a Belgian amateur astronomer who volunteers at Ghent University and the Public Observatory Armand Pien. His efforts have made astronomy significantly more inclusive. Through his project “Stars Shine for Everyone”, telescope donations across the world have opened up the night skies for hundreds of thousands of people.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 4, #15, 7), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Grootaerd is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Grootaerd is 2.30 au from the Sun and 3.14 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 52873 |
| Provisional designation | 1998 SP35 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 16.23 |
| Orbital period | 3.71 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.40 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.28 – 2.51 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0498 |
| Inclination | 7.11° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.27 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Pierre
- (2190) Coubertin
- (5439) Couturier
- (5442) Drossart
- (5523) Luminet
- (8190) Bouguer
- (10139) Ronsard
- (11401) Pierralba
- (11946) Bayle
- (12007) Fermat
- (12042) Laques
- (12324) Van Rompaey
- (12580) Antonini
All asteroids named after someone called Pierre
Also discovered on 22 September 1998
- (12564) Ikeller
- (12908) Yagudina
- (13744) Rickline
- (14593) Everett
- (15017) Cuppy
- (22719) Nakadori
- (23882) Fredcourant
- (23890) Quindou
- (25139) Roatsch
- (25140) Schmedemann
- (28107) Sapar
- (29614) Sheller