(11897) Lemaire Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 8 April 1991 by E. W. Elst at La Silla.
Joseph F. Lemaire (b. 1939), head of the Fundamental Dynamics section at the Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy, Uccle, is renowned for his research on radiation belts, the solar wind and planetary magnetic fields. With Konstantin Gringauz he published the book The Earth's Plasmasphere in 1998.Naming citation (20010509/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Lemaire is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Lemaire is 2.51 au from the Sun and 1.83 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 11897 |
| Provisional designation | 1991 GC7 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 3.55 km (#13,827 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.203 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.84 |
| Orbital period | 3.41 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.27 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.02 – 2.51 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.107 |
| Inclination | 5.17° |
| 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 Joseph
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- (5034) Joeharrington
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- (6743) Liu
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- (8023) Josephwalker
- (8255) Masiero
- (8661) Ratzinger
- (8794) Joepatterson
All asteroids named after someone called Joseph
Also discovered on 8 April 1991
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- (6647) Josse
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