(4194) Sweitzer Main-belt Asteroid

Discovered on 15 September 1982 by E. Bowell at Anderson Mesa.

Named in honor of Paul A. Sweitzer (b. 1936) on the occasion of his 60th birthday. Sweitzer served as a reporter on the Arizona Daily Sun during 1958-1994, covering news, sports, the performing arts, religion, education, law enforcement and the courts. During that time he made a special effort to report on events and astronomical discoveries at the Lowell Observatory, and in the course of his work he developed warm relationships with many of Lowell's staff. His love of music, especially opera, has led him to become an unfailing supporter, through reviews and informative articles, of the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra. Name suggested by A.-M. Malotki, endorsed by W. L. Putnam.Naming citation (19961026/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL

Where Sweitzer is today

Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Sweitzer is 2.81 au from the Sun and 2.30 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.

Facts

Number	4194
Provisional designation	1982 RE
Orbit class	Main-belt Asteroid
Diameter	17.0 km (#2,671 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size)
Albedo	0.0970
Rotation period	18.8 hours
Spectral type	Cb
Absolute magnitude (H)	12.23
Orbital period	4.43 years
Semi-major axis	2.70 au
Perihelion – aphelion	2.58 – 2.81 au
Eccentricity	0.0423
Inclination	7.52°
Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID)	1.59 au

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

Also named after someone called Paul

All asteroids named after someone called Paul

Also discovered on 15 September 1982

More named asteroids discovered by E. Bowell

All 554

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