(20381) Hikaruyabuta Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 22 May 1998 by LINEAR at Socorro.
Hikaru Yabuta (b. 1974) is a Japanese organic cosmochemist who led the analysis of macromolecular organic solids in asteroid Ryugu samples. She also contributed to Hayabusa2’s multi-scale observations of Ryugu, from the asteroid scale with optical cameras and the pebble scale with landers to the atomic scale through sample analysis.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 6, #11, 16), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Hikaruyabuta is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Hikaruyabuta is 2.24 au from the Sun and 3.18 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 20381 |
| Provisional designation | 1998 KX47 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 4.65 km (#11,335 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.246 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.11 |
| Orbital period | 3.63 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.36 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.23 – 2.49 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0554 |
| Inclination | 8.66° |
| 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 Hikaru
All asteroids named after someone called Hikaru
Also discovered on 22 May 1998
- (9466) Shishir
- (11187) Richoliver
- (11730) Yanhua
- (11735) Isabellecohen
- (12104) Chesley
- (12106) Menghuan
- (12107) Reneebarcia
- (12108) Jamesaustin
- (12529) Reighard
- (12530) Richardson
- (12860) Turney
- (12861) Wacker