(51529) Marksimpson Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 31 March 2001 by W. K. Y. Yeung at Desert Beaver.
Mark Simpson (b. 1969) is a Canadian scientist trained in electronic design and software engineering. His research focuses on asteroid occultations and tornados. His 2023 invention “ASTRID” has been adopted by many occultation observers. Mark used it to discover the binary nature of (5232), and the fact that TYC 5260–00005–1 is a close double star.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 4, #16, 12), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Marksimpson is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Marksimpson is 3.32 au from the Sun and 4.27 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 51529 |
| Provisional designation | 2001 FB128 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 6.32 km (#8,480 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.193 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.8 |
| Orbital period | 5.20 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.00 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.27 – 3.73 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.243 |
| Inclination | 9.77° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.28 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Mark
- (7004) Markthiemens
- (7552) Sephton
- (7778) Markrobinson
- (7917) Hammergren
- (8015) Marksimons
- (8329) Speckman
- (8686) Akenside
- (8789) Effertz
- (10276) Matney
- (10598) Markrees
- (12094) Mazumder
- (13211) Stucky
All asteroids named after someone called Mark