(61342) Lovejoy Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 3 August 2000 by G. J. Garradd at Loomberah.
Australian amateur astronomer Terry Lovejoy is a visual comet observer who also pioneered comet discovery via the internet in SOHO/LASCO data and through sky patrols using digital cameras.Naming citation (20070926/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Lovejoy is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Lovejoy is 2.12 au from the Sun and 1.14 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 61342 |
| Provisional designation | 2000 PJ3 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 15.92 |
| Orbital period | 3.66 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.38 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.88 – 2.88 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.211 |
| Inclination | 3.17° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.865 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Terry
- (6447) Terrycole
- (9619) Terrygilliam
- (9622) Terryjones
- (16695) Terryhandley
- (26283) Oswalt
- (26734) Terryfarrell
- (30200) Terryburch
- (34398) Terryschmidt
All asteroids named after someone called Terry
Also discovered on 3 August 2000
- (18156) Kamisaibara
- (18924) Vinjamoori
- (36424) Satokokumasaki
- (38669) Michikawa
- (54509) YORP
- (61344) Jicakyoryokutai
- (87271) Kokubunji