(11039) Raynal Main-belt Asteroid

Discovered on 3 April 1989 by E. W. Elst at La Silla.

Guillaume-Thomas Raynal (1713-1796) wrote a six-volume history of the European colonies in India and America. His condemnation of the efforts of the colonists resulted in his condemnation by the Catholic church. In the French revolution he was elected to the States general, but he refused to serve, because he opposed violence.Naming citation (19990928/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL

Where Raynal is today

Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Raynal is 2.92 au from the Sun and 2.78 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.

Facts

Number	11039
Provisional designation	1989 GH2
Orbit class	Main-belt Asteroid
Diameter	5.70 km (#9,392 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size)
Albedo	0.237
Absolute magnitude (H)	13.77
Orbital period	4.90 years
Semi-major axis	2.88 au
Perihelion – aphelion	2.70 – 3.07 au
Eccentricity	0.0632
Inclination	1.78°
Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID)	1.69 au

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

Also named after someone called Thomas

All asteroids named after someone called Thomas

Also discovered on 3 April 1989

More named asteroids discovered by E. W. Elst

All 1035

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