(12759) Joule Outer Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 9 October 1993 by E. W. Elst at La Silla.
James Joule (1818-1889) was an English physicist who attempted to demonstrate the unity of forces in nature. In 1840 he determined the mechanical equivalent of heat and showed that heat is produced by motion.Naming citation (20041126/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Joule is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Joule is 3.35 au from the Sun and 3.51 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 12759 |
| Provisional designation | 1993 TL18 |
| Orbit class | Outer Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 12.9 km (#3,755 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0810 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.08 |
| Orbital period | 5.77 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.22 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.99 – 3.45 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0724 |
| Inclination | 4.83° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 2.00 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
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