(44117) Haroldlarson Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 21 April 1998 by Spacewatch at Kitt Peak.
Harold P. Larson (b. 1938), pioneering airborne infrared astronomer and educator at the University of Arizona, discovered the presence of water in Jupiter's atmosphere. He is a distinguished educator, winning awards for innovative work with undergraduate students.Naming citation (20070730/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Haroldlarson is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Haroldlarson is 2.24 au from the Sun and 3.13 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 44117 |
| Provisional designation | 1998 HL27 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 2.81 km (#15,647 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.355 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.85 |
| Orbital period | 3.62 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.36 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.19 – 2.53 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0719 |
| Inclination | 3.88° |
| 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 Harold
- (3898) Curlewis
- (6761) Haroldconnolly
- (13327) Reitsema
- (15109) Wilber
- (15146) Halpov
- (18560) Coxeter
- (95980) Haroldhill
- (114096) Haroldbier
- (175203) Kingston
All asteroids named after someone called Harold
Also discovered on 21 April 1998
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- (11718) Hayward
- (11719) Hicklen
- (11720) Horodyskyj
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- (11724) Ronaldhsu
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- (12093) Chrimatthews