(9251) Harch Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 26 September 1960 by van Houten, C. J., van Houten-Groeneveld, I., Gehrels, T. at Palomar.
Named in honor of the Cornell University scientist Ann P. Harch, an expert in the design and execution of spacecraft camera sequencing and pointing commands. Ann played a major role in obtaining the first spacecraft images of (951) Gaspra and (243) Ida during the Galileo spacecraft flybys in Oct. 1991 and Aug. 1993. During the latter encounter, she was the first to note evidence for Ida's moon, Dactyl. In addition, Ann was instrumental in the successful imaging of (253) Mathilde and (433) Eros during the NEAR spacecraft flybys in June 1997 and Dec. 1998.Naming citation (19990402/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Harch is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Harch is 2.64 au from the Sun and 1.66 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 9251 |
| Provisional designation | 4896 P-L |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.24 |
| Orbital period | 5.49 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.11 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.57 – 3.66 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.175 |
| Inclination | 2.60° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.56 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also discovered on 26 September 1960
- (1778) Alfven
- (4386) Lust
- (4412) Chephren
- (6145) Riemenschneider
- (7720) Lepaute
- (8435) Anser
- (9479) Madresplazamayo
- (9694) Lycomedes
- (9906) Tintoretto
- (10244) Thuringer Wald
- (10646) Machielalberts
- (12616) Lochner