(6401) Rontgen Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 15 April 1991 by Shoemaker, C. S., Shoemaker, E. M., Levy, D. H. at Palomar.
Named to commemorate the centennial of the discovery of X-rays by the German physicist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen in November 1895. His first X-ray of a human being was of his wife's hand. Röntgen's research revolutionized medicine by providing a diagnostic tool still unrivaled in accuracy and simplicity. X-rays quickly became an indispensable part of patient care. Early in 1896 X-ray therapy came into being and has remained a standard treatment for cancer. This research has spread into many fields, especially astronomy, where X-rays provide a unique window on the universe. Citation prepared by D. Patton, T. Hunter and D. Levy.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 6, #1, 4), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Rontgen is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Rontgen is 2.39 au from the Sun and 2.93 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 6401 |
| Provisional designation | 1991 GB2 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 7.88 km (#6,700 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.259 |
| Rotation period | 16.0 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 12.87 |
| Orbital period | 4.38 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.68 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.34 – 3.02 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.126 |
| Inclination | 13.5° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.38 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.