(12679) Jamessimpson Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 2 March 1981 by S. J. Bus at Siding Spring.
James Edward Simpson (b. 1970) contributed to NASA's Lucy Trojan asteroid mission as the L'Ralph Instrument Project Manager.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 1, #9, 12), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Jamessimpson is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Jamessimpson is 2.85 au from the Sun and 3.74 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 12679 |
| Provisional designation | 1981 EK22 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 4.71 km (#11,217 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.139 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.63 |
| Orbital period | 4.99 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.92 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.76 – 3.08 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0554 |
| Inclination | 0.747° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.77 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
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