(8993) Ingstad Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 30 October 1980 by R. M. West at La Silla.
Helge Ingstad (1899–2001) was a pioneer explorer and archaeologist. Foremost among his many achievements was his and his wife's discovery of remains from the Viking settlements on Newfoundland. This proved that the Vikings reached North America, probably as the first Europeans.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 4, #10, 6), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Ingstad is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Ingstad is 2.88 au from the Sun and 3.81 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 8993 |
| Provisional designation | 1980 UL |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 7.05 km (#7,583 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.170 |
| Rotation period | 3.03 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.51 |
| Orbital period | 3.68 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.38 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.89 – 2.88 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.208 |
| Inclination | 23.1° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.901 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.