(278513) Schwope Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 14 February 2008 by B. Thinius at Inastars.
Axel Schwope (b. 1959) is a German astronomer at the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics in Potsdam. His research focuses on compact X-ray emitting objects. The name acknowledges the interaction between a professional and an amateur astronomer.Naming citation (20120831/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Schwope is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Schwope is 2.59 au from the Sun and 3.38 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 278513 |
| Provisional designation | 2008 CE120 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 2.45 km (#16,359 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0470 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 17.0 |
| Orbital period | 3.70 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.39 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.89 – 2.89 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.209 |
| Inclination | 9.35° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.914 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Axel
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- (15513) Emmermann
- (15924) Axelmartin
- (19386) Axelcronstedt
- (31980) Axelfeldmann
- (311604) Axelmurk
All asteroids named after someone called Axel