(4285) Hulkower Main-belt Asteroid

Discovered on 11 July 1988 by E. F. Helin at Palomar.

Named in honor of Neal D. Hulkower, mathematician, scientist and good friend of the discoverer with a special interest in celestial mechanics. While at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory he developed a method of analyzing accessibility for spacecraft missions to near-Earth asteroids and ranked them by energy requirements for rendezvous. His enthusiasm and expertise have helped in stimulating greater interest in these objects. Named by the discoverer. Name endorsed by R. Staehle and D. Bender.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 5, #28, 5), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL

Where Hulkower is today

Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Hulkower is 2.22 au from the Sun and 3.06 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.

Facts

Number	4285
Provisional designation	1988 NH
Orbit class	Main-belt Asteroid
Diameter	7.80 km (#6,775 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size)
Albedo	0.208
Rotation period	6.15 hours
Absolute magnitude (H)	12.86
Orbital period	4.30 years
Semi-major axis	2.64 au
Perihelion – aphelion	2.22 – 3.07 au
Eccentricity	0.160
Inclination	13.1°
Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID)	1.26 au

Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.

Also named after someone called Neal

All asteroids named after someone called Neal

Also discovered on 11 July 1988

(5256) Farquhar

More named asteroids discovered by E. F. Helin

All 267

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