(10894) Nakai Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 30 September 1997 by Spacewatch at Kitt Peak.
R. Carlos Nakai (b. 1946) is a musician and cultural anthropologist of Navajo-Ute descent. Classically trained on trumpet and cornet, he turned to wooden flute in 1972, mastered cedar flute-making and became a virtuoso player, composer and international recording artist. Nakai means “wanderer”, as does planet in Greek.Naming citation (20010509/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Nakai is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Nakai is 2.99 au from the Sun and 3.94 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 10894 |
| Provisional designation | 1997 SE30 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 10.0 km (#5,097 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0770 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.68 |
| Orbital period | 5.38 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.07 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.40 – 3.74 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.218 |
| Inclination | 1.97° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.42 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Carlos
- (6380) Gardel
- (9483) Chagas
- (9640) Lippens
- (11437) Cardalda
- (26255) Carmarques
- (33290) Carloszuluaga
- (43722) Carloseduardo
- (72949) Colesanti
- (100050) Carloshernandez
- (118768) Carlosnoriega
- (202819) Carlosanchez
- (462078) Carlosbriones
All asteroids named after someone called Carlos
Also discovered on 30 September 1997
- (9990) Niiyaeki
- (13691) Akie
- (15387) Hanazukayama
- (15906) Yoshikaneda
- (29458) Pearson
- (37786) Tokikonaruko
- (39795) Marson
- (46727) Hidekimatsuyama