(9968) Serpe Main-belt Asteroid

Discovered on 4 May 1992 by H. Debehogne at La Silla.

Jean Nicolas François Jules Serpe (1914–2001) was the theoretical-physics professor of the discoverer at the University of Liège and was a member of the Académie royale de Belgique.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 6, #9, 5), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL

Where Serpe is today

MercuryVenusEarthEarthMarsMarsSerpeSerpe

Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Serpe is 2.51 au from the Sun and 1.61 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.

Facts

Number9968
Provisional designation1992 JS2
Orbit classMain-belt Asteroid
Diameter12.4 km (#3,948 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size)
Albedo0.0880
Absolute magnitude (H)13.07
Orbital period4.11 years
Semi-major axis2.57 au
Perihelion – aphelion2.43 – 2.70 au
Eccentricity0.0533
Inclination13.0°
Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID)1.45 au

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

Also named after someone called Jean

Also discovered on 4 May 1992

More named asteroids discovered by H. Debehogne