(19578) Kirkdouglas Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 20 June 1999 by J. Broughton at Reedy Creek.
Kirk Douglas (b. 1916), the straight-shooting American actor with a 45-caliber dimple in his chin, emerged from the depths of poverty to become a Hollywood great. After being silenced by a stroke in his 80s, he learned to speak all over again---another of his victories over adversity.Naming citation (20010705/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Kirkdouglas is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Kirkdouglas is 2.74 au from the Sun and 1.94 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 19578 |
| Provisional designation | 1999 MO |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 2.69 km (#15,891 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.426 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.8 |
| Orbital period | 3.72 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.40 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.97 – 2.84 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.181 |
| Inclination | 2.30° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.951 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Kirk
All asteroids named after someone called Kirk