(7150) McKellar Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 11 October 1929 by C. W. Tombaugh at Flagstaff.
In 1941, Andrew McKellar (1910-1960) measured the temperature of interstellar space as about 2.7 Kelvin, based of the rotational spectrum of the cyanogen molecule. This radiation temperature arises from the cosmic primeval fireball and is one of the most fundamental and revealing cosmic parameters.Naming citation (20100330/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where McKellar is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: McKellar is 2.26 au from the Sun and 2.91 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 7150 |
| Provisional designation | 1929 TD1 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 8.44 km (#6,194 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0520 |
| Rotation period | 7.23 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.43 |
| Orbital period | 3.76 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.42 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.97 – 2.87 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.187 |
| Inclination | 3.36° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.960 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Andrew
- (5280) Andrewbecker
- (5441) Andymurray
- (6814) Steffl
- (6825) Irvine
- (6947) Andrewdavis
- (8257) Andycheng
- (8867) Tubbiolo
- (9999) Wiles
- (10230) Andrewnorton
- (11450) Shearer
- (12506) Pariser
- (12539) Chaikin
All asteroids named after someone called Andrew
More named asteroids discovered by C. W. Tombaugh
- (2839) Annette
- (2941) Alden
- (3310) Patsy
- (3583) Burdett
- (3754) Kathleen
- (3775) Ellenbeth
- (3824) Brendalee
- (4510) Shawna
- (4755) Nicky
- (5701) Baltuck
- (6618) Jimsimons
- (7101) Haritina
← (7149) Bernie · (7152) Euneus →