(9855) Thomasdick Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 7 February 1991 by R. H. McNaught at Siding Spring.
Thomas Dick (1774–1857) was an influential Scottish astronomy writer and public speaker. His mixture of science, religion and philosophy was widely read. He had a significant impact on education in the United States and promoted the notion of the “plurality of inhabited worlds”.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 2, #2, 5), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Thomasdick is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Thomasdick is 2.35 au from the Sun and 1.79 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 9855 |
| Provisional designation | 1991 CU |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 6.44 km (#8,316 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.395 |
| Rotation period | 2.87 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 12.99 |
| Orbital period | 4.15 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.58 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.34 – 2.82 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0936 |
| Inclination | 9.96° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.34 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Thomas
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- (4739) Tomahrens
- (4830) Thomascooley
- (4897) Tomhamilton
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- (8236) Gainsborough
- (8382) Mann
- (8793) Thomasmuller
- (9460) McGlynn
- (9536) Statler
All asteroids named after someone called Thomas