(29646) Polya Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 16 November 1998 by P. G. Comba at Prescott.
George Polya (1887-1985), a Hungarian-American mathematician, was a prolific researcher in probability, complex analysis and number theory. A great teacher, he pioneered the study of heuristics in his books How to Solve It, Mathematics and Plausible Reasoning and Patterns of Plausible Inference.Naming citation (20020427/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Polya is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Polya is 2.35 au from the Sun and 3.27 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 29646 |
| Provisional designation | 1998 WJ |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 16.67 |
| Orbital period | 3.37 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.25 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.06 – 2.43 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0824 |
| Inclination | 3.89° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.07 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
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