(6142) Tantawi Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 23 March 1993 by Gilmore, A. C., Kilmartin, P. M. at Lake Tekapo.
Muhammad Tantawi (1845-1889) was an Egyptian astronomer and mathematician, who was born in Tanta and later settled in Damascus, Syria. He is well known for reconstructing the ancient sundial in Omayad Mosque in the ancient city of Damascus, which was originally made by Syrian astronomer Ibn al-Shatir.Naming citation (MPC batch dated 2017-01-12), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Tantawi is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Tantawi is 2.74 au from the Sun and 2.41 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 6142 |
| Provisional designation | 1993 FP |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 9.17 km (#5,640 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0920 |
| Rotation period | 18.1 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.86 |
| Orbital period | 3.85 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.46 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.11 – 2.80 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.140 |
| Inclination | 2.95° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.10 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Muhammad
All asteroids named after someone called Muhammad