(6972) Helvetius Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 4 April 1992 by E. W. Elst at La Silla.
Where Helvetius is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Helvetius is 2.88 au from the Sun and 2.35 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 6972 |
| Provisional designation | 1992 GY3 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 6.88 km (#7,792 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.492 |
| Rotation period | 16.4 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.11 |
| Orbital period | 4.12 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.57 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.25 – 2.89 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.126 |
| Inclination | 6.36° |
| 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 discovered on 4 April 1992
- (7020) Yourcenar
- (7343) Ockeghem
- (8521) Boulainvilliers
- (8685) Faure
- (8872) Ebenum
- (10797) Guatemala
- (11908) Nicaragua
- (17506) Walschap