(24977) Tongzhan Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 21 April 1998 by LINEAR at Socorro.
Tong Zhan (b. 1992) was awarded second place in the 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his medicine and health sciences team project. He attends the William Mason High School, Mason, Ohio, U.S.A.Naming citation (20080917/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Tongzhan is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Tongzhan is 2.14 au from the Sun and 1.19 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 24977 |
| Provisional designation | 1998 HE87 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 15.74 |
| Orbital period | 3.36 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.24 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.12 – 2.37 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0558 |
| Inclination | 3.50° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.12 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Tong
All asteroids named after someone called Tong
Also discovered on 21 April 1998
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- (11715) Harperclark
- (11716) Amahartman
- (11718) Hayward
- (11719) Hicklen
- (11720) Horodyskyj
- (11721) Shawnlowe
- (11724) Ronaldhsu
- (11725) Victoriahsu
- (12091) Jesmalmquist
- (12092) Erinorourke
- (12093) Chrimatthews