(9881) Sampson Mars-crossing Asteroid
Discovered on 25 September 1994 by R. H. McNaught at Siding Spring.
Ralph Allen Sampson (1866–1939) was an Irish-British astronomer with main research areas in the color temperature of stars and the theory of motion of Jupiter's Galilean satellites. He was the 5th Astronomer Royal for Scotland.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 2, #1, 6), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
👶 Sampson as a baby name🐶 Sampson as a dog name🐱 Sampson as a cat name
Where Sampson is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Sampson is 1.49 au from the Sun and 1.75 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 9881 |
| Provisional designation | 1994 SE |
| Orbit class | Mars-crossing Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 15.91 |
| Orbital period | 3.58 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.34 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.38 – 3.30 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.411 |
| Inclination | 8.08° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.403 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
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