(5972) Harryatkinson Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 5 August 1991 by H. E. Holt at Palomar.
New Zealand-born physicist Harry Atkinson (b. 1929), on the staff of the U.K. government's chief scientist (1969-1972), was head of astronomy and space for the Science Research Council (1972-1978) and chair of the European Space Agency Council (1984-1987). In 2000 he chaired the U.K. Task Force on Near-Earth Objects.Naming citation (20060413/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Harryatkinson is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Harryatkinson is 2.84 au from the Sun and 2.25 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 5972 |
| Provisional designation | 1991 PS12 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 9.88 km (#5,172 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.314 |
| Rotation period | 3.38 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 12.08 |
| Orbital period | 4.39 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.68 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.47 – 2.89 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0791 |
| Inclination | 13.9° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.50 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Harry
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All asteroids named after someone called Harry
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