(6384) Kervin Inner Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 3 January 1989 by E. F. Helin at Palomar.
Named in honor of Paul W. Kervin, chief scientist for the Phillips Laboratory's Air Force Maui Optical Station (AMOS). He has played a leading role in establishing and conducting the JPL/AMOS program, which is primarily focused on obtaining crucial follow-up observations of near-Earth and other interesting minor planets. Before coming to AMOS, he was the chief scientist for the Relay Mirror Experiment, which received the SPIE Technology Achievement Award in 1991.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 5, #28, 5), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Kervin is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Kervin is 1.96 au from the Sun and 1.76 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 6384 |
| Provisional designation | 1989 AM |
| Orbit class | Inner Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 3.74 km (#13,361 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.503 |
| Rotation period | 3.62 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.96 |
| Orbital period | 2.69 years |
| Semi-major axis | 1.94 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.79 – 2.09 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0769 |
| Inclination | 26.3° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.874 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
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