(215044) Joaoalves Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 20 February 2009 by F. Hormuth at Calar Alto.
Joõ Alves (b. 1968) was the director of Calar Alto Observatory from 2006-2010 and is now professor of stellar astrophysics at the University of Vienna. His main research focus is on early phases of star formation. The discoverer acknowledges Alves' attitude towards using Calar Alto's 1.23-m telescope for asteroid observations.Naming citation (20110517/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Joaoalves is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Joaoalves is 2.44 au from the Sun and 1.44 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 215044 |
| Provisional designation | 2009 DW4 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 17.86 |
| Orbital period | 3.77 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.42 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.09 – 2.75 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.136 |
| Inclination | 0.875° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.11 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Joo
All asteroids named after someone called Joo