(4990) Trombka Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 2 March 1981 by S. J. Bus at Siding Spring.
A researcher at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Jacob (Jack) Trombka (b. 1930) was instrumental in analyzing γ-ray and x-ray measurements of the moon obtained during the Apollo missions. He is the principal investigator for the γ-ray and x-ray instruments on the NEAR mission to (433) Eros.Naming citation (20001013/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Trombka is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Trombka is 2.62 au from the Sun and 2.34 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 4990 |
| Provisional designation | 1981 ET26 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 4.46 km (#11,719 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.245 |
| Rotation period | 4.93 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.27 |
| Orbital period | 3.33 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.23 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.83 – 2.63 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.179 |
| Inclination | 3.88° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.822 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Goddard
All asteroids named after someone called Goddard
Also discovered on 2 March 1981
- (2884) Reddish
- (2919) Dali
- (2980) Cameron
- (2981) Chagall
- (2990) Trimberger
- (3000) Leonardo
- (3121) Tamines
- (3122) Florence
- (3207) Spinrad
- (3252) Johnny
- (3304) Pearce
- (3524) Schulz