(15941) Stevegauthier Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 29 December 1997 by Spacewatch at Kitt Peak.
Steven Maurice Gauthier (b. 1957) is a Canadian amateur astronomer who studied data processing at Conestoga College. A participant in the Puckett Observatory Supernova Search, he discovered supernovae 2000fd, 2002bu, and 2002bz. The name was suggested by R. Jedicke and P. Jedicke.Naming citation (20050523/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Stevegauthier is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Stevegauthier is 2.71 au from the Sun and 3.30 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 15941 |
| Provisional designation | 1997 YX15 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 14.9 km (#3,166 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0430 |
| Rotation period | 9.90 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.16 |
| Orbital period | 5.29 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.04 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.68 – 3.39 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.117 |
| Inclination | 14.4° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.66 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Steven
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- (13415) Stevenbland
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All asteroids named after someone called Steven