(9853) l'Epee Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 7 January 1991 by R. H. McNaught at Siding Spring.
Abbé Charles-Michel de l'Épée (1712–1789) was a French educator of the deaf. Motivated by religious conviction, humanitarian concern, and a philosophical belief that the deaf were capable of acquiring language, he founded the first free public school for the deaf in 1760. He published his methods to encourage their adoption.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 2, #1, 6), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where l'Epee is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: l'Epee is 2.11 au from the Sun and 1.73 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 9853 |
| Provisional designation | 1991 AN2 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 12.1 km (#4,055 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.145 |
| Rotation period | 135 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 12.95 |
| Orbital period | 4.10 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.56 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.11 – 3.01 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.177 |
| Inclination | 17.7° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.09 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also discovered on 7 January 1991
More named asteroids discovered by R. H. McNaught
- (3904) Honda
- (4093) Bennett
- (4128) UKSTU
- (4129) Richelen
- (4220) Flood
- (4456) Mawson
- (4499) Davidallen
- (4504) Jenkinson
- (4638) Estens
- (4667) Robbiesh
- (4678) Ninian
- (4679) Sybil
← (9852) Gora · (9854) Karlheinz →