(76309) Ronferdie Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 10 March 2000 by CSS at Mount Bigelow.
Ronald Ferdie (1939-2007) worked in the aerospace industry in the early days of the Apollo program at the Marshall Space Flight Center. He served in the executive of a number of amateur astronomy clubs across the U.S., inspiring and encouraging many beginners to the endeavor.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 6, #3, 5), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Ronferdie is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Ronferdie is 2.45 au from the Sun and 2.68 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 76309 |
| Provisional designation | 2000 EX137 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 4.65 km (#11,341 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.206 |
| Rotation period | 1.47 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.38 |
| Orbital period | 4.22 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.61 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.40 – 2.83 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0820 |
| Inclination | 16.2° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.38 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Ronald
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- (3579) Rockholt
- (6949) Zissell
- (9852) Gora
- (9923) Ronaldthiel
- (10508) Haughey
- (11724) Ronaldhsu
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- (16813) Ronmastaler
- (17853) Ronaldsayer
- (18239) Ekers
- (20465) Vervack
All asteroids named after someone called Ronald
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