(13989) Murikabushi Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 16 January 1993 by T. Seki at Geisei.
Murikabushi (“a swarm of stars” in the Okinawa dialect) is the name of the 1.05-m infrared-optical telescope at the Ishigakijima Astronomical Observatory. The telescope was named following a popular suggestion from Okinawa citizens.Naming citation (20061109/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Murikabushi is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Murikabushi is 3.02 au from the Sun and 3.86 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 13989 |
| Provisional designation | 1993 BG |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 5.01 km (#10,598 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.132 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.36 |
| Orbital period | 3.67 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.38 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.69 – 3.07 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.288 |
| Inclination | 14.6° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.729 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.