(3159) Prokof'ev Main-belt Asteroid

Discovered on 26 October 1976 by T. M. Smirnova at Nauchnyj.

Named in honor of Vladimir Konstantinovich Prokofʹev, well-known expert on atomic spectroscopy and emission spectral analysis, a professor at the Leningrad and Gorkij universities and since 1961 on the staff of the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory. He contributed much to solar ultraviolet spectroscopic research and discovered the presence of oxygen in the atmosphere of Venus. He served as president of IAU Commission 44 during 1970–1973.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 6, #10, 5), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL

Where Prokof'ev is today

Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Prokof'ev is 2.81 au from the Sun and 2.34 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.

Facts

Number	3159
Provisional designation	1976 US2
Orbit class	Main-belt Asteroid
Diameter	9.80 km (#5,221 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size)
Albedo	0.116
Rotation period	3.89 hours
Absolute magnitude (H)	12.14
Orbital period	4.12 years
Semi-major axis	2.57 au
Perihelion – aphelion	2.29 – 2.85 au
Eccentricity	0.107
Inclination	14.6°
Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID)	1.31 au

Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.

Also named after someone called Vladimir

All asteroids named after someone called Vladimir

Also discovered on 26 October 1976

More named asteroids discovered by T. M. Smirnova

All 134

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