(5914) Kathywhaler Outer Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 20 November 1990 by R. H. McNaught at Siding Spring.
Kathryn Anne Whaler (b. 1956), professor of geophysics at the University of Edinburgh, is known for using geomagnetism to probe the dynamics and thermal history of the earth's core, especially as observed from satellites, and for extending these techniques to Mars. She is Royal Astronomical Society president, 2004-2006.Naming citation (20060613/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Kathywhaler is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Kathywhaler is 3.89 au from the Sun and 4.66 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 5914 |
| Provisional designation | 1990 WK |
| Orbit class | Outer Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 38.1 km (#1,026 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0620 |
| Rotation period | 38.7 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 11.03 |
| Orbital period | 6.68 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.55 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 3.19 – 3.90 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.101 |
| Inclination | 10.3° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 2.19 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Kathryn
- (10273) Katvolk
- (14793) Gardner-Vandy
- (22923) Kathrynblair
- (28096) Kathrynmarsh
- (28889) Turrentine
- (32112) Katiekumamoto
- (33592) Kathrynanna
- (33727) Kummel
- (100596) Perrett
- (165192) Neugent
- (175588) Kathrynsmith
- (316186) Kathrynjoyce
All asteroids named after someone called Kathryn