(10609) Hirai Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 28 November 1996 by A. Nakamura at Kuma Kogen.
Named in honor of Yuzo Hirai (b. 1948), professor at the Institute of Information Sciences and Electronics, University of Tsukuba. His research interests include neural networks, modeling human visual information processing, associative memory and hardware implementation of neural networks. He has supervised more than 80 undergraduate and graduate students, including the discoverer of this minor planet.Naming citation (19990728/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Hirai is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Hirai is 2.45 au from the Sun and 2.91 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 10609 |
| Provisional designation | 1996 WC3 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.92 |
| Orbital period | 4.43 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.70 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.15 – 3.24 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.201 |
| Inclination | 10.5° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.16 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.