(42613) Schaller Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 2 March 1998 by Spacewatch at Kitt Peak.
Christian Schaller (b. 1969) is an American software developer for space-based imagers including the HiRISE camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and the CaSSIS imager (after which his cat is named) on the ESA Trace Gas Orbiter. As a student, he was a summer researcher at Arecibo Observatory.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 4, #4, 6), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Schaller is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Schaller is 2.01 au from the Sun and 2.77 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 42613 |
| Provisional designation | 1998 EC4 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Rotation period | 9.16 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 16.07 |
| Orbital period | 3.60 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.35 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.97 – 2.73 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.162 |
| Inclination | 3.99° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.984 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Christian
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- (19992) Schonbein
- (22848) Chrisharriot
- (39814) Christianlegrand
- (55772) Loder
- (62071) Voegtli
All asteroids named after someone called Christian
Also discovered on 2 March 1998
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- (18636) Villedepompey
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- (22519) Gerardklein