(59238) Lilin Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 5 February 1999 by Beijing Schmidt CCD Asteroid Program at Xinglong.
Li Lin (1923–2002) was a renowned physicist and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. She was a Chinese pioneer in research on ductile iron, boron steel, nuclear reactor materials, and thin films of high-temperature superconductors. She was awarded the second prize of the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award of China in 1992.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 4, #17, 14), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Lilin is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Lilin is 2.73 au from the Sun and 3.26 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 59238 |
| Provisional designation | 1999 CN2 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 1.96 km (#17,068 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.220 |
| Rotation period | 2.64 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 15.66 |
| Orbital period | 3.72 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.40 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.99 – 2.81 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.170 |
| Inclination | 1.93° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.00 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Li
- (6741) Liyuan
- (16357) Risanpei
- (20846) Liyulin
- (23701) Liqibin
- (25659) Liboynton
- (26738) Lishizhen
- (28201) Lifubin
- (28204) Liyakang
- (31905) Likinpong
- (90825) Lizhensheng
- (96612) Litipei
- (110288) Libai
All asteroids named after someone called Li