(3970) Herran Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 28 June 1979 by C. Torres at Cerro El Roble.
José Antonio Ruiz de la Herrán Villagómez (b. 1925), currently technical advisor of the Museum Universum in Mexico City, has been active in astronomy both as a professional and an amateur. He was involved in the design and installation of Mexico's largest telescopes and is widely known for his public outreach.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 6, #9, 5), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Herran is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Herran is 2.88 au from the Sun and 3.73 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 3970 |
| Provisional designation | 1979 ME9 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 8.56 km (#6,100 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.264 |
| Rotation period | 8.05 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 12.55 |
| Orbital period | 4.09 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.56 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.22 – 2.90 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.134 |
| Inclination | 15.1° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.24 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Jose
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- (10803) Caleyo
- (12990) Josetillard
- (13476) Pepesales
- (14918) Gonzalezalegre
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All asteroids named after someone called Jose