(18987) Irani Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 1 September 2000 by LINEAR at Socorro.
Natasha Rustom Irani (b. 1986) was awarded fourth place in the 2003 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for her computer science project. She attends the Lake Highland Preparatory School, Orlando, Florida, U.S.A.Naming citation (20040830/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Irani is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Irani is 2.12 au from the Sun and 2.17 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 18987 |
| Provisional designation | 2000 RU23 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 3.58 km (#13,759 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0470 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 16.19 |
| Orbital period | 3.32 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.22 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.84 – 2.60 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.171 |
| Inclination | 1.37° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.847 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Natasha
All asteroids named after someone called Natasha
Also discovered on 1 September 2000
- (18979) Henryfong
- (18980) Johannatang
- (18983) Allentran
- (18991) Tonivanov
- (18997) Mizrahi
- (19002) Tongkexue
- (19003) Erinfrey
- (19005) Teckman
- (19801) Karenlemmon
- (20774) Zender
- (20775) Zhaohaibin
- (20776) Juliekrugler