(22294) Simmons Main-belt Asteroid

Discovered on 28 September 1989 by Shoemaker, C. S., Shoemaker, E. M. at Palomar.

Michael S. Simmons (b. 1949) dedicated time and effort to organizing the Palomar Observatory's 1.2-m Schmidt Oschin Telescope plate archive. Among his many significant and varied astronomy outreach activities are several trips to Iran to promote friendship and amateur astronomy.Naming citation (20030318/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL

Where Simmons is today

MercuryVenusEarthEarthMarsMarsSimmonsSimmons

Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Simmons is 2.47 au from the Sun and 3.00 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.

Facts

Number22294
Provisional designation1989 SC8
Orbit classMain-belt Asteroid
Absolute magnitude (H)15.12
Orbital period3.45 years
Semi-major axis2.28 au
Perihelion – aphelion1.82 – 2.74 au
Eccentricity0.202
Inclination3.81°
Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID)0.830 au

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

Also named after someone called Michael

Also discovered on 28 September 1989

More named asteroids discovered by Shoemaker, C. S., Shoemaker, E. M.