(554648) Olaffischer Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 20 October 2012 by Pan-STARRS 1 at Haleakala.
Olaf Fischer (b. 1958) is a German astronomy educator. From 2003 to 2024, he led the project “Wissenschaft in die Schulen” (“Science into the Schools”) that provides more than 350 free educational activities with astronomical topics for high schools online. Olaf created many of the educational resources himself.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 5, #3, 18), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Olaffischer is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Olaffischer is 2.12 au from the Sun and 1.27 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 554648 |
| Provisional designation | 2012 VB78 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 18.68 |
| Orbital period | 3.57 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.34 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.84 – 2.84 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.213 |
| Inclination | 6.40° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.857 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Olaf
All asteroids named after someone called Olaf
Also discovered on 20 October 2012
- (487617) Ingethiering
- (515812) Pueo
- (550942) Kurtag
- (551082) Tsiongtiong
- (560522) Gombaszogi
- (576793) Karolyiamy
- (591808) Dienesvaleria