(3821) Sonet Outer Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 6 September 1985 by H. Debehogne at La Silla.
Jean Sonet (1908-1987), a Belgian Jesuit, was a specialist in Romance languages, professor and later rector (1953-1958) of the University of Namur. From 1958 to his death he was Vice-Rector of the Catholic University of Cordoba (Argentina), where the discoverer met him. The name was suggested by A. Sonet.Naming citation (20010509/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Sonet is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Sonet is 3.34 au from the Sun and 2.60 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 3821 |
| Provisional designation | 1985 RC3 |
| Orbit class | Outer Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 15.1 km (#3,114 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0770 |
| Rotation period | 9.56 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 12.9 |
| Orbital period | 5.80 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.23 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.60 – 3.85 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.194 |
| Inclination | 0.551° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.62 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Jean
- (2221) Chilton
- (2267) Agassiz
- (8116) Jeanperrin
- (8604) Vanier
- (9138) Murdoch
- (9968) Serpe
- (10111) Fresnel
- (10215) Lavilledemirmont
- (10440) van Swinden
- (12286) Poiseuille
- (12498) Dragesco
- (12611) Ingres
All asteroids named after someone called Jean
Also discovered on 6 September 1985
More named asteroids discovered by H. Debehogne
- (2364) Seillier
- (2543) Machado
- (2590) Mourao
- (2673) Lossignol
- (2707) Ueferji
- (2814) Vieira
- (2852) Declercq
- (2926) Caldeira
- (3002) Delasalle
- (3138) Ciney
- (3274) Maillen
- (3365) Recogne
← (3820) Sauval · (3822) Segovia →