(96257) Roberto Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 3 May 1995 by S. Mottola at La Silla.
Roberto Mottola (b. 1990) is an Italian-German physicist expert in the field of quantum physics. He has investigated the use of room-temperature single-photon sources and atomic quantum memories for the application to broadband quantum networks. Name proposed by his father, the discoverer, in occasion of the successful completion of his PhD in March 2023.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 3, #4, 8), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
👶 Roberto as a baby name🐶 Roberto as a dog name
Where Roberto is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Roberto is 2.36 au from the Sun and 1.37 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 96257 |
| Provisional designation | 1995 JE |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 16.26 |
| Orbital period | 3.72 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.40 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.27 – 2.53 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0547 |
| Inclination | 5.85° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.29 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.