(188534) Mauna Kea Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 15 September 2004 by Pittichova, J., Bedient, J. at Mauna Kea.
Mauna Kea (“White Mountain”), rising 4205 meters above sea level, is a dormant volcano on the island of Hawaii. The summit is home to the world's largest astronomical observatory, with more than a dozen telescopes operated by astronomers from 11 countries. The name is a shortened form of the traditional Mauna a Wakea.Naming citation (20101128/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Mauna Kea is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Mauna Kea is 2.93 au from the Sun and 3.68 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 188534 |
| Provisional designation | 2004 RA252 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 16.52 |
| Orbital period | 4.61 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.77 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.58 – 2.96 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0678 |
| Inclination | 5.69° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.59 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.