(3972) Richard Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 6 May 1981 by C. S. Shoemaker at Palomar.
👶 Richard as a baby name🐶 Richard as a dog name🐱 Richard as a cat name
Where Richard is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Richard is 1.78 au from the Sun and 1.12 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 3972 |
| Provisional designation | 1981 JD3 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 4.12 km (#12,449 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.180 |
| Spectral type | S |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.96 |
| Orbital period | 3.18 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.16 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.78 – 2.55 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.178 |
| Inclination | 4.15° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.770 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also discovered on 6 May 1981
- (2742) Gibson
- (2773) Brooks
- (2982) Muriel
- (3837) Carr
- (6204) MacKenzie
- (8326) Paulkling
- (8327) Weihenmayer
- (12680) Bogdanovich