(8357) O'Connor Main-belt Asteroid

Discovered on 25 September 1989 by Oak Ridge Observatory at Harvard.

Named in honor of J. Dennis O'Connor (b. 1942), internationally acknowledged biological scientist, provost and staunch proponent of research excellence at the Smithsonian Institution, and resolute champion of the programs of the Astrophysical Observatory.Naming citation (19980808/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL

Where O'Connor is today

MercuryVenusEarthEarthMarsMarsO'ConnorO'Connor

Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: O'Connor is 2.09 au from the Sun and 2.67 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.

Facts

Number8357
Provisional designation1989 SC1
Orbit classMain-belt Asteroid
Diameter4.14 km (#12,400 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size)
Albedo0.341
Rotation period7.77 hours
Absolute magnitude (H)13.94
Orbital period3.43 years
Semi-major axis2.27 au
Perihelion – aphelion1.89 – 2.66 au
Eccentricity0.170
Inclination1.56°
Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID)0.876 au

Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.

Also named after someone called Dennis

Also discovered on 25 September 1989

More named asteroids discovered by Oak Ridge Observatory