(7542) Johnpond Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 7 April 1953 by K. Reinmuth at Heidelberg.
John Pond (1767-1836), sixth Astronomer Royal, is famous for the introduction of then-modern transit instruments at Greenwich Observatory and for publishing a high-precision star catalogue. Pond received the Copley Medal of the Royal Society. The name was suggested by L. D. Schmadel.Naming citation (20090806/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Johnpond is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Johnpond is 2.47 au from the Sun and 1.89 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 7542 |
| Provisional designation | 1953 GN |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 3.95 km (#12,855 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.259 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.45 |
| Orbital period | 3.39 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.26 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.96 – 2.56 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.132 |
| Inclination | 5.81° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.961 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called John
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- (5362) Johnyoung
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- (5558) Johnnapier
All asteroids named after someone called John
Also discovered on 7 April 1953
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