(325731) Maalin Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 8 November 2009 by CSS at Catalina.
Ali Maow Maalin (1954–2013) was a Somali health worker, and the last known person to contract naturally-occurring smallpox, in 1977. He later worked with the World Health Organization on polio eradication, drawing on his smallpox experience to build trust. Ali continued to campaign for vaccinations for the rest of his life.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 5, #28, 14), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Maalin is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Maalin is 3.19 au from the Sun and 2.90 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 325731 |
| Provisional designation | 2009 VF40 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 15.21 |
| Orbital period | 5.46 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.10 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 3.00 – 3.20 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0320 |
| Inclination | 10.5° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.99 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Ali
All asteroids named after someone called Ali