(114738) Melissa Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 23 April 2003 by CINEOS at Campo Imperatore.
Melissa Palomba (b. 2009) is the eldest daughter of Ernesto Palomba, one of the CINEOS observers.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 5, #21, 6), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
👶 Melissa as a baby name🐶 Melissa as a dog name
Where Melissa is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Melissa is 2.20 au from the Sun and 1.70 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 114738 |
| Provisional designation | 2003 HQ12 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 16.07 |
| Orbital period | 3.60 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.35 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.02 – 2.67 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.138 |
| Inclination | 6.59° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.02 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.