(442721) Kerouac Mars-crossing Asteroid
Discovered on 18 October 2009 by Mt. Lemmon Survey at Mount Lemmon.
Jean-Louis Lebris de Kérouac, known as Jack Kerouac (1922–1969) was an American writer and poet. His novels, including On the Road and The Subterraneans, established a new writing style of spontaneous prose. Kerouac is considered a pioneer of the 1950s and 1960s Beat Generation.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 2, #7, 14), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Kerouac is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Kerouac is 2.61 au from the Sun and 3.58 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 442721 |
| Provisional designation | 2012 VB31 |
| Orbit class | Mars-crossing Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 18.24 |
| Orbital period | 3.20 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.17 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.64 – 2.70 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.245 |
| Inclination | 6.05° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.651 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
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All asteroids named after someone called Louis