(16000) Neilgehrels Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 10 January 1999 by Spacewatch at Kitt Peak.
Neil Gehrels (b. 1952) is an astrophysicist who has worked to develop gamma-ray astronomy into a full astronomical discipline. He is the Principal Investigator for the Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Mission (launched Nov. 2004) and was Project Scientist for the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (1991–2000).Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 3, #13, 12), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Neilgehrels is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Neilgehrels is 2.36 au from the Sun and 2.07 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 16000 |
| Provisional designation | 1999 AW16 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 2.73 km (#15,796 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.343 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.84 |
| Orbital period | 3.73 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.40 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.00 – 2.80 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.166 |
| Inclination | 2.19° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.995 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Neil
- (4241) Pappalardo
- (7102) Neilbone
- (15631) Dellorusso
- (15834) McBride
- (23469) Neilpeart
- (23673) Neilmehta
- (26331) Kondamuri
- (28222) Neilpathak
- (30024) Neildavey
- (30229) Neilbowles
- (33454) Neilclaffey
- (34166) Neildeshmukh
All asteroids named after someone called Neil
Also discovered on 10 January 1999
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- (15067) Zhuangtianshan
- (16982) Tsinghua
- (20430) Stout
- (25316) Comnick
- (31415) Fenucci
- (47086) Shinseiko
- (121007) Jiaxingnanhu