(17166) Secombe Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 17 June 1999 by J. Broughton at Reedy Creek.
Welshman Harry Secombe (1921-2001) was the chuckling roly-poly singer-actor-comedian “Neddy Seagoon” of The Goon Show fame. On receiving a knighthood he referred to himself as “Sir Cumference”. Secombe was a unique combination of comedian with a magnificent tenor singing voice.Naming citation (20010509/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Secombe is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Secombe is 2.96 au from the Sun and 3.08 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 17166 |
| Provisional designation | 1999 MC |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 11.3 km (#4,413 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0290 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.92 |
| Orbital period | 5.43 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.09 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.86 – 3.31 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0725 |
| Inclination | 4.66° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.86 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.