(129966) Michaelward Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 29 October 1999 by CSS at Catalina.
Michael Ward (b. 1964) served as the configuration manager on the OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission OCAMS camera. He also worked as mission operations manager for GRS on Mars Odyssey.Naming citation (MPC batch dated 2016-11-14), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Michaelward is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Michaelward is 2.95 au from the Sun and 3.38 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 129966 |
| Provisional designation | 1999 UU5 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 1.51 km (#17,343 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.309 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 16.27 |
| Orbital period | 3.69 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.39 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.82 – 2.96 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.239 |
| Inclination | 3.92° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.806 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Michael
- (3192) A'Hearn
- (4477) Kelley
- (4599) Rowan
- (5373) Michaelkurtz
- (5554) Keesey
- (5569) Colby
- (6406) Mikejura
- (6569) Ondaatje
- (7738) Heyman
- (7936) Mikemagee
- (8032) Michaeladams
- (8129) Michaelbusch
All asteroids named after someone called Michael
Also discovered on 29 October 1999
- (13410) Arhale
- (13412) Guerrieri
- (13413) Bobpeterson
- (13414) Grantham
- (13415) Stevenbland
- (14674) INAOE
- (15513) Emmermann
- (21873) Jindrichuvhradec
- (21888) Durech
- (22961) Rosegarcia
- (24090) Grindavik
- (24093) Tomoyamaguchi