(109879) Letelier Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 16 September 2001 by Juels, C. W., Holvorcem, P. R. at Fountain Hills.
Chilean mathematical physicist Patricio Letelier (1943-2011) made many contributions to General Relativity theory, including studies of black holes, chaos, topological defects, and exact solutions of Einstein's equations. He obtained his Ph.D. at Boston and taught at the Universities of Brasília and Campinas in Brazil.Naming citation (MPC batch dated 2017-12-03), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Letelier is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Letelier is 2.89 au from the Sun and 3.67 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 109879 |
| Provisional designation | 2001 SL |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 1.78 km (#17,232 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.321 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 15.84 |
| Orbital period | 3.93 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.49 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.96 – 3.02 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.212 |
| Inclination | 5.78° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.972 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Patricio
All asteroids named after someone called Patricio
Also discovered on 16 September 2001
- (34796) Rheamalhotra
- (34797) Alicemartynova
- (34799) Mcdonaldboyer
- (34819) Nandininaidu
- (34821) Oyetunji
- (34822) Dhruvikparikh
- (55276) Kenlarner
- (57424) Caelumnoctu
- (57509) Sly
- (77870) MOTESS
- (83360) Catalina