(57901) Hitchens Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 9 February 2002 by LONEOS at Anderson Mesa.
Christopher E. Hitchens (b. 1949), an intellectual of broad interests who lists “disputation” among his hobbies, lectures copiously and writes for a number of periodicals as a pundit and critic. Hitchens is the author of numerous books, including works on Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, Mother Theresa and George Orwell.Naming citation (20101128/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Hitchens is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Hitchens is 2.98 au from the Sun and 3.06 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 57901 |
| Provisional designation | 2002 CH275 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 5.88 km (#9,106 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.183 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.87 |
| Orbital period | 4.38 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.68 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.28 – 3.07 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.148 |
| Inclination | 12.2° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.33 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Christopher
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- (12665) Chriscarson
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- (13609) Lewicki
- (14179) Skinner
- (15851) Chrisfleming
- (17815) Kulawik
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All asteroids named after someone called Christopher