(23120) Paulallen Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 5 January 2000 by C. W. Juels at Fountain Hills.
Paul G. Allen (b. 1953) is a computer industry executive who has provided generous financial support to the Spacewatch program to find near-Earth asteroids, SpaceShipOne to pioneer civilian suborbital spaceflight and the Allen Telescope Array to study the radio universe and search for extraterrestial intelligence.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 5, #28, 6), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Paulallen is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Paulallen is 3.14 au from the Sun and 4.12 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 23120 |
| Provisional designation | 2000 AP50 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 11.5 km (#4,333 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.138 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 12.39 |
| Orbital period | 4.24 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.62 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.06 – 3.18 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.213 |
| Inclination | 12.4° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.10 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Paul
- (3743) Pauljaniczek
- (4148) McCartney
- (4194) Sweitzer
- (5065) Johnstone
- (5553) Chodas
- (5997) Dirac
- (6226) Paulwarren
- (6384) Kervin
- (6629) Kurtz
- (6726) Suthers
- (6870) Pauldavies
- (7560) Spudis
All asteroids named after someone called Paul
Also discovered on 5 January 2000
- (14258) Katrinaminck
- (14262) Kratzer
- (14693) Selwyn
- (15099) Janestrohm
- (15530) Kuber
- (15531) Matusch
- (15533) Saturnino
- (16157) Toastmasters
- (16158) Monty
- (16163) Suhanli
- (16164) Yangli
- (16165) Licht