(14972) Olihainaut Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 30 August 1997 by ODAS at Caussols.
Belgian astronomer Olivier Hainaut (b. 1966) is a specialist on distant comets and transneptunian objects. An active observer and recoverer of several comets, he now heads the New Technology Telescope of the European Southern Observatory in La Silla.Naming citation (20020427/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Olihainaut is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Olihainaut is 2.66 au from the Sun and 3.65 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 14972 |
| Provisional designation | 1997 QP3 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.9 |
| Orbital period | 3.83 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.45 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.97 – 2.93 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.196 |
| Inclination | 3.50° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.957 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Olivier
- (6065) Chesneau
- (8799) Barnouin
- (14617) Lasvergnas
- (16280) Groussin
- (20565) Oliviermousis
- (20764) Witasse
- (34708) Grasset
- (54863) Gasnault
- (59162) Olivierbienayme
- (378721) Thizy
All asteroids named after someone called Olivier