(20106) Morton Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 20 August 1995 by D. D. Balam at Dominion.
Donald C. Morton (b. 1933) was director of the Anglo-Australian Observatory during 1976–1986 and of the Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics in Ottawa during 1986–2000. With a rocket he made the first ultraviolet spectral observations of stars. He played a leading role in the development of the Gemini Observatory.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 5, #21, 5), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
👶 Morton as a baby name🐶 Morton as a dog name
Where Morton is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Morton is 2.36 au from the Sun and 2.76 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 20106 |
| Provisional designation | 1995 QG |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 3.18 km (#14,748 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.121 |
| Rotation period | 18.0 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 15.02 |
| Orbital period | 4.30 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.65 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.22 – 3.07 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.159 |
| Inclination | 13.4° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.28 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Donald
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All asteroids named after someone called Donald