(20169) Ritchey Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 4 November 1996 by Spacewatch at Kitt Peak.
George Willis Ritchey (1864–1945) was an American optician, telescope maker, and astronomer. He was in charge of making the mirrors for the 60-inch and 100-inch Mount Wilson telescopes and co-invented the Ritchey-Chrétien telescope, a design now used by many of the world’s leading ground- and space-based telescopes.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 6, #12, 7), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Ritchey is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Ritchey is 2.23 au from the Sun and 2.98 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 20169 |
| Provisional designation | 1996 VG11 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 3.10 km (#14,953 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.265 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.98 |
| Orbital period | 3.51 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.31 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.97 – 2.65 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.145 |
| Inclination | 6.70° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.983 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
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