(4312) Knacke Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 29 November 1978 by Bus, S. J., Kowal, C. T. at Palomar.
Roger F. Knacke (b. 1941) studies interstellar ice and dust, comets and planetary atmospheres. Notable discoveries include the first direct observation of water in a comet and identification of silicate emission in comets and circumstellar sources. He served as Infrared Discipline specialist for the International Halley Watch.Naming citation (20041126/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Knacke is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Knacke is 2.13 au from the Sun and 1.67 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 4312 |
| Provisional designation | 1978 WW11 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 12.4 km (#3,939 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0610 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.5 |
| Orbital period | 3.68 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.38 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.02 – 2.75 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.151 |
| Inclination | 4.43° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.03 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Roger
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- (8168) Rogerbourke
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- (13668) Tanner
- (24858) Diethelm
- (25743) Serrato
- (29874) Rogerculver
- (41795) Wiens
All asteroids named after someone called Roger
← (4311) Zguridi · (4313) Bouchet →