(8067) Helfenstein Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 7 September 1980 by E. Bowell at Anderson Mesa.
Named in honor of Paul Helfenstein (b. 1954) of Cornell University, expert in solar-system photometry and developer of new techniques of extracting key photometric data about surfaces of minor planets from spacecraft observations. Helfenstein has been responsible for definitive analyses of Galileo's photometric observations of (951) Gaspra and (243) Ida and the NEAR data on (253) Mathilde and (433) Eros. Name suggested by B. E. Clark and citation provided by J. Veverka.Naming citation (19990728/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Helfenstein is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Helfenstein is 2.26 au from the Sun and 1.52 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 8067 |
| Provisional designation | 1980 RU |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 23.0 km (#1,854 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0253 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 12.74 |
| Orbital period | 4.14 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.58 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.21 – 2.94 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.143 |
| Inclination | 15.3° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.22 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
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