(15009) Johnwheeler Inner Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 24 August 1998 by LINEAR at Socorro.
John Craig Wheeler (b. 1943) is an American astrophysicist who works on theories of supernova. He is Professor of Astronomy at the University of Texas (Austin), and is a former President of the American Astronomical Society. John's 2024 book The Path to Singularity explores AI and future society.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 5, #4, 24), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Johnwheeler is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Johnwheeler is 1.82 au from the Sun and 2.24 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 15009 |
| Provisional designation | 1998 QF27 |
| Orbit class | Inner Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 16.38 |
| Orbital period | 2.72 years |
| Semi-major axis | 1.95 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.73 – 2.17 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.114 |
| Inclination | 22.9° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.806 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
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