(189948) Richswanson Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 16 October 2003 by D. Healy at Junk Bond.
Rich Swanson (b. 1964) is an intelligence specialist for a contractor to the Department of Defense at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona. An accomplished amateur astronomer, he is known for his enthusiasm in popularizing astronomy through his outreach activities in the community.Naming citation (20090209/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Richswanson is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Richswanson is 3.57 au from the Sun and 3.23 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 189948 |
| Provisional designation | 2003 UM4 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 15.83 |
| Orbital period | 5.53 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.13 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.40 – 3.86 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.233 |
| Inclination | 8.80° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.40 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
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