(20179) Huangtianyi Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 12 December 1996 by Beijing Schmidt CCD Asteroid Program at Xinglong.
Huang Tianyi (b. 1939) is a professor of astronomy at Nanjing University. He contributed to relativistic astronomical reference systems and related IAU resolutions, helping clarify the concept of the astronomical unit in relativity. He also studied numerical methods and error estimation in orbital dynamics.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 6, #16, 6), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Huangtianyi is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Huangtianyi is 2.66 au from the Sun and 3.21 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 20179 |
| Provisional designation | 1996 XX31 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 7.22 km (#7,402 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.144 |
| Rotation period | 7.59 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.81 |
| Orbital period | 3.67 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.38 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.04 – 2.72 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.143 |
| Inclination | 12.3° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.05 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Huang
- (20132) Huangwei
- (21634) Huangweikang
- (23098) Huanghuang
- (31360) Huangyihsuan
- (49466) Huanglin
- (215023) Huangjiqing
- (652223) Huangtushui
- (777018) Huangchunming
All asteroids named after someone called Huang