(5382) McKay Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 8 May 1991 by R. H. McNaught at Siding Spring.
Named for Christopher P. McKay (b. 1954), space scientist and exobiologist at NASA-Ames Research Center. McKay has made numerous seminal contributions to planetary science and the search for zones of life in the solar system, with a special interest in Mars, Titan, comets and microbial life in hostile environments on the earth. Name suggested and citation prepared by D. I. Steel.Naming citation (19980411/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where McKay is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: McKay is 2.85 au from the Sun and 2.18 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 5382 |
| Provisional designation | 1991 JR2 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 10.3 km (#4,934 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.183 |
| Rotation period | 39.2 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 12.66 |
| Orbital period | 4.26 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.63 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.39 – 2.87 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0927 |
| Inclination | 12.8° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.39 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Christopher
- (7024) Impey
- (7923) Chyba
- (9541) Magri
- (11713) Stubbs
- (12665) Chriscarson
- (12868) Onken
- (13609) Lewicki
- (14179) Skinner
- (15851) Chrisfleming
- (17815) Kulawik
- (17908) Chriskuyu
- (17934) Deleon
All asteroids named after someone called Christopher
Also discovered on 8 May 1991
More named asteroids discovered by R. H. McNaught
- (3904) Honda
- (4093) Bennett
- (4128) UKSTU
- (4129) Richelen
- (4220) Flood
- (4456) Mawson
- (4499) Davidallen
- (4504) Jenkinson
- (4638) Estens
- (4667) Robbiesh
- (4678) Ninian
- (4679) Sybil
← (5381) Sekhmet · (5383) Leavitt →