(5883) Josephblack Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 6 November 1993 by R. H. McNaught at Siding Spring.
Joseph Black (1728–1799) was a Scottish scientist, who laid the foundations for the development of thermodynamics with his discoveries of latent and specific heat. He also discovered carbon dioxide and invented the analytical balance. He was a leading member of the Scottish Enlightenment.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 3, #12, 11), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Josephblack is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Josephblack is 3.23 au from the Sun and 3.08 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 5883 |
| Provisional designation | 1993 VM5 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 21.1 km (#2,071 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0360 |
| Rotation period | 17.5 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 11.99 |
| Orbital period | 5.66 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.18 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.65 – 3.70 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.166 |
| Inclination | 17.5° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.66 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Joseph
- (2157) Ashbrook
- (4225) Hobart
- (5034) Joeharrington
- (5577) Priestley
- (6540) Stepling
- (6743) Liu
- (7656) Joemontani
- (8023) Josephwalker
- (8255) Masiero
- (8661) Ratzinger
- (8794) Joepatterson
- (9413) Eichendorff
All asteroids named after someone called Joseph
More named asteroids discovered by R. H. McNaught
- (3904) Honda
- (4093) Bennett
- (4128) UKSTU
- (4129) Richelen
- (4220) Flood
- (4456) Mawson
- (4499) Davidallen
- (4504) Jenkinson
- (4638) Estens
- (4667) Robbiesh
- (4678) Ninian
- (4679) Sybil
← (5881) Akashi · (5884) Dolezal →