(20478) Rutenberg Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 14 July 1999 by LINEAR at Socorro.
Michael Lev Rutenberg- Schoenberg (b. 1990) is a finalist in the 2004 Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge (DCYSC), a middle school science competition, for his biochemistry, medicine, health, and microbiology project. He attends the Portland Jewish Academy, Portland, Oregon.Naming citation (20041028/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Rutenberg is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Rutenberg is 3.00 au from the Sun and 3.54 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 20478 |
| Provisional designation | 1999 NJ20 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 3.72 km (#13,400 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.320 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.38 |
| Orbital period | 4.19 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.60 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.15 – 3.05 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.172 |
| Inclination | 5.98° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.15 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Michael
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- (5373) Michaelkurtz
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- (6406) Mikejura
- (6569) Ondaatje
- (7738) Heyman
- (7936) Mikemagee
- (8032) Michaeladams
- (8129) Michaelbusch
All asteroids named after someone called Michael
Also discovered on 14 July 1999
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- (18825) Alicechai
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- (19589) Kirkland