(40459) Rektorys Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 14 September 1999 by Pravec, P., Kusnirak, P. at Ondrejov.
Karel Rektorys (b. 1923), Czech mathematician and professor at the Czech Technical University in Prague, is the chief editor of the book Survey of Applicable Mathematics, the English translation of which became an official handbook at M.I.T. in Boston. He is the author of several monographs on variational methods.Naming citation (20021120/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Rektorys is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Rektorys is 3.04 au from the Sun and 2.92 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 40459 |
| Provisional designation | 1999 RK43 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 3.56 km (#13,803 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.168 |
| Rotation period | 38.0 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.84 |
| Orbital period | 4.60 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.77 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.45 – 3.08 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.113 |
| Inclination | 8.32° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.47 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Karel
- (5514) Karelraska
- (6379) Vrba
- (7226) Kryl
- (11431) Karelbosscha
- (12160) Karelwakker
- (16951) Carolus Quartus
- (17407) Teige
- (19291) Karelzeman
- (21801) Ancerl
- (22465) Karelandel
- (22505) Lewit
- (29674) Rausal
All asteroids named after someone called Karel