(220444) Pontusbrandt Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 23 November 2003 by M. W. Buie at Kitt Peak.
Pontus C. Brandt (b. 1969) is a Swedish-American scientist who has served as the NASA New Horizons mission project scientist and as a mission co-investigator. In these roles he made major contributions that furthered the exploration of the Kuiper Belt and the Sun’s outer heliosphere.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 5, #4, 27), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Pontusbrandt is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Pontusbrandt is 2.19 au from the Sun and 3.06 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 220444 |
| Provisional designation | 2003 WL183 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 2.28 km (#16,650 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0590 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 17.25 |
| Orbital period | 3.14 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.14 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.04 – 2.25 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0489 |
| Inclination | 3.95° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.03 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Pontus
All asteroids named after someone called Pontus