(328677) Stofan Main-belt Asteroid

Discovered on 18 September 2009 by L. H. Wasserman at Anderson Mesa.

Ellen Stofan (b. 1961) is the Under Secretary for Science and Research at the Smithsonian Institution. Stofan has researched the geology of Venus, Mars, and Saturn's moon Titan. She is the former Director of the National Air and Space Museum and Chief Scientist of NASA.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 2, #4, 9), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL

Where Stofan is today

MercuryVenusEarthEarthMarsMarsStofanStofan

Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Stofan is 2.87 au from the Sun and 3.76 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.

Facts

Number328677
Provisional designation2009 SG309
Orbit classMain-belt Asteroid
Absolute magnitude (H)17.12
Orbital period3.79 years
Semi-major axis2.43 au
Perihelion – aphelion1.99 – 2.87 au
Eccentricity0.182
Inclination6.66°
Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID)0.981 au

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

Also named after someone called Ellen

Also discovered on 18 September 2009

More named asteroids discovered by L. H. Wasserman