(46722) Ireneadler Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 2 September 1997 by Pravec, P., Sarounova, L. at Ondrejov.
Irene Adler is the heroine of the Sherlock Holmes story A Scandal in Bohemia. She outwitted the great detective, who subsequently called her “The” woman and kept a picture of her over his fireplace. Her great intellect and charm made her the only woman to captivate Holmes.Naming citation (20090607/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Ireneadler is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Ireneadler is 3.13 au from the Sun and 3.92 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 46722 |
| Provisional designation | 1997 RA1 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 5.89 km (#9,096 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.185 |
| Rotation period | 114 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.98 |
| Orbital period | 5.37 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.07 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.97 – 3.17 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0327 |
| Inclination | 8.84° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.97 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Irene
- (18180) Irenesun
- (34326) Zhaurova
- (51430) Ireneclaire
- (90455) Irenehernandez
- (114735) Irenemagni
- (145174) Irenejoliotcurie
All asteroids named after someone called Irene