(179678) Rietmeijer Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 26 August 2002 by NEAT at Palomar.
Frans J.M. Rietmeijer (b. 1949) is a Dutch-born planetary geologist specializing on interplanetary dust particles. He is a research professor at the University of New Mexico. The name was suggested by M. Langbroek.Naming citation (20081113/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Rietmeijer is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Rietmeijer is 2.31 au from the Sun and 2.86 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 179678 |
| Provisional designation | 2002 QS66 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 17.27 |
| Orbital period | 3.80 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.44 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.03 – 2.84 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.167 |
| Inclination | 6.75° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.05 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.