(8597) Sandvicensis Main-belt Asteroid

Discovered on 29 September 1973 by van Houten, C. J., van Houten-Groeneveld, I., Gehrels, T. at Palomar.

Named for Sterna sandvicensis, or sandwich tern.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 2, #8, 5), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL

Where Sandvicensis is today

MercuryVenusEarthEarthMarsMarsSandvicensisSandvicensis

Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Sandvicensis is 2.81 au from the Sun and 1.82 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.

Facts

Number8597
Provisional designation2045 T-2
Orbit classMain-belt Asteroid
Diameter5.30 km (#10,041 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size)
Albedo0.361
Absolute magnitude (H)13.27
Orbital period4.40 years
Semi-major axis2.69 au
Perihelion – aphelion2.28 – 3.10 au
Eccentricity0.153
Inclination12.6°
Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID)1.30 au

Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.

Also discovered on 29 September 1973

More named asteroids discovered by van Houten, C. J., van Houten-Groeneveld, I., Gehrels, T.