(21724) Ratai Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 9 September 1999 by LINEAR at Socorro.
Daniel Ratai (b. 1985) was awarded first place and Best in Category in the 2005 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his computer science project. He also received the Achievement Award and the Seaborg SIYSS Award. He attends the John von Neumann Computer Science High School, Budapest, Hungary.Naming citation (20050822/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Ratai is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Ratai is 2.60 au from the Sun and 3.59 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 21724 |
| Provisional designation | 1999 RA132 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 2.11 km (#16,910 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.397 |
| Rotation period | 24.9 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 15.08 |
| Orbital period | 3.55 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.33 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.03 – 2.62 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.127 |
| Inclination | 5.75° |
| 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 Daniel
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- (8109) Danielwilliam
- (8887) Scheeres
- (10081) Dantaylor
- (10482) Dangrieser
- (11203) Danielbetten
- (11230) Deschaffer
- (11596) Francetic
- (12503) Danielpeterson
- (13267) Bolechowski
All asteroids named after someone called Daniel
Also discovered on 9 September 1999
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- (12130) Mousa
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- (12592) Brianchen
- (12593) Shashlov
- (12594) Sidorclare
- (12595) Amandashaw
- (12596) Shukla
- (12597) Williamdaniel
- (12598) Sierra