(46824) Tambora Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 26 June 1998 by E. W. Elst at La Silla.
Mount Tambora on the island of Sumbawa (Indonesia) is an active volcano that exploded in April 1815. It was the most powerful eruption in recorded history, and resulted in a brief period of significant world-wide climate change, including the “Year without a Summer” (1816).Naming citation (MPC batch dated 2017-11-04), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Tambora is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Tambora is 2.48 au from the Sun and 2.86 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 46824 |
| Provisional designation | 1998 MT38 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 15.6 |
| Orbital period | 3.73 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.41 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.20 – 2.61 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0858 |
| Inclination | 5.40° |
| 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 discovered on 26 June 1998
- (13244) Dannymeyer
- (13700) Connors
- (21523) GONG
- (21529) Johnjames
- (21530) Despiau
- (23774) Herbelliott
- (48909) Laurake
- (69754) Mosesmendel
- (100936) Mekong