(51985) Kirby Outer Main-belt Asteroid

Discovered on 22 September 2001 by R. A. Tucker at Goodricke-Pigott.

Jack Kirby (1917-1994) is regarded as a major innovator in comic art. His style set the standard for those who followed, creating iconic characters including Captain America, the Fantastic Four, Thor, the Hulk, the X-Men, Iron Man, Black Panther, and many more. Kirby also wrote and edited many stories.Naming citation (MPC batch dated 2018-01-31), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL

👶 Kirby as a baby name 🐶 Kirby as a dog name 🐱 Kirby as a cat name

Where Kirby is today

Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Kirby is 3.14 au from the Sun and 3.29 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.

Facts

Number	51985
Provisional designation	2001 SA116
Orbit class	Outer Main-belt Asteroid
Absolute magnitude (H)	13.84
Orbital period	5.73 years
Semi-major axis	3.20 au
Perihelion – aphelion	2.88 – 3.52 au
Eccentricity	0.0995
Inclination	5.86°
Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID)	1.89 au

Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.

Also named after someone called Jack

All asteroids named after someone called Jack

Also discovered on 22 September 2001

More named asteroids discovered by R. A. Tucker

All 94

← (51983) Honig · (52005) Maik →