(12493) Minkowski Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 4 August 1997 by P. G. Comba at Prescott.
Hermann Minkowski (1864-1909) was awarded a prestigious prize from the Paris Academy of Sciences while still a student. He was Einstein's teacher at Zurich and later developed the concept of four-dimensional space-time---the mathematical foundation of the special theory of relativity.Naming citation (20000124/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Minkowski is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Minkowski is 3.26 au from the Sun and 2.27 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 12493 |
| Provisional designation | 1997 PM1 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.43 |
| Orbital period | 5.60 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.16 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.82 – 3.49 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.105 |
| Inclination | 6.72° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.84 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Hermann
- (7074) Muckea
- (8010) Bohnhardt
- (8818) Hermannbondi
- (10737) Bruck
- (11573) Helmholtz
- (11762) Vogel
- (15406) Bleibtreu
- (23889) Hermanngrassmann
- (24748) Nernst
- (32267) Hermannweyl
All asteroids named after someone called Hermann