(4257) Ubasti Apollo
Discovered on 23 August 1987 by J. E. Mueller at Palomar.
Ubasti, also called Bastet or Bast, was an ancient Egyptian goddess worshiped in the form of a cat. Originally a goddess of the home, in the New Kingdom Ubasti was equated with the lioness war goddess. This name is being dedicated to observatory cats throughout the world. Name suggested and citation prepared by G. V. Williams at the request of the discoverer.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 4, #10, 5), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Ubasti is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Ubasti is 2.33 au from the Sun and 2.96 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 4257 |
| Provisional designation | 1987 QA |
| Orbit class | Apollo · near-Earth |
| Rotation period | 4.40 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 15.97 |
| Orbital period | 2.11 years |
| Semi-major axis | 1.65 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 0.876 – 2.42 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.468 |
| Inclination | 40.7° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.170 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.