(12984) Lowry Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 22 August 1979 by C.-I. Lagerkvist at La Silla.
Stephen C. Lowry (b. 1976) is an astronomer who performs precise observations of cometary nuclei to reveal their bulk properties. He also studies physical and chemical properties of near-Earth objects.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 5, #28, 6), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Lowry is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Lowry is 2.88 au from the Sun and 3.42 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 12984 |
| Provisional designation | 1979 QF2 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 4.85 km (#10,915 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.249 |
| Rotation period | 5.19 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.11 |
| Orbital period | 4.79 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.84 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.61 – 3.07 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0800 |
| Inclination | 2.47° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.61 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Stephen
- (5190) Fry
- (5191) Paddack
- (5292) Mackwell
- (5657) Groombridge
- (7336) Saunders
- (7672) Hawking
- (8373) Stephengould
- (9768) Stephenmaran
- (9891) Stephensmith
- (10287) Smale
- (10315) Brewster
- (16104) Stesullivan
All asteroids named after someone called Stephen
Also discovered on 22 August 1979
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- (2694) Pino Torinese
- (3005) Pervictoralex
- (3331) Kvistaberg
- (5088) Tancredi
- (6686) Hernius
- (7217) Dacke
- (8793) Thomasmuller
- (9273) Schloerb
- (9831) Simongreen
- (9919) Undset
- (10021) Henja