(16646) Sparrman Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 19 September 1993 by E. W. Elst at Caussols.
Anders Erikson Sparrman (1748-1820) studied medicine and botany and became one of the most outstanding pupils of Linnaeus. In 1772 he joined James Cook on his second voyage around the world, later writing about this in A voyage to the Cape of Good Hope, towards the Antarctic polar circle, and round the world (1789).Naming citation (20070106/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Sparrman is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Sparrman is 2.18 au from the Sun and 1.72 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 16646 |
| Provisional designation | 1993 SJ5 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 3.78 km (#13,266 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.269 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.03 |
| Orbital period | 3.59 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.35 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.16 – 2.53 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0783 |
| Inclination | 6.55° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.19 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Anders
- (7049) Meibom
- (7813) Anderserikson
- (15311) Vasterberg
- (15313) Ynnerman
- (42487) Angstrom
- (138200) Anderswall
All asteroids named after someone called Anders
Also discovered on 19 September 1993
- (7193) Yamaoka
- (7954) Kitao
- (8098) Miyamotoatsushi
- (10139) Ronsard
- (10140) Villon
- (11084) Gio
- (11949) Kagayayutaka
- (11950) Morellet
- (13114) Isabelgodin
- (14004) Chikama
- (17546) Osadakentaro
- (35169) Araake