(27626) Kirkbender Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 1 July 2001 by J. Broughton at Reedy Creek.
Kirk Bender (b. 1962) is an American software developer and avid amateur astronomer and star-party organizer. He has observed over 100 asteroid occultations, including many high-value targets.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 5, #25, 5), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Kirkbender is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Kirkbender is 2.13 au from the Sun and 2.54 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 27626 |
| Provisional designation | 2001 NA |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 6.42 km (#8,349 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0570 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.87 |
| Orbital period | 4.23 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.61 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.10 – 3.13 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.197 |
| Inclination | 3.58° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.08 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Kirk
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