(17247) Vanverst Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 7 April 2000 by LINEAR at Socorro.
Named in honor of Mary VanVerst for mentoring a finalist in the 2002 Intel Science Talent Search, a science competition for high school seniors. VanVerst is a teacher at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, Aurora, Illinois.Naming citation (20020227/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Vanverst is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Vanverst is 2.66 au from the Sun and 2.91 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 17247 |
| Provisional designation | 2000 GG105 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 15.24 |
| Orbital period | 3.46 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.29 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.88 – 2.69 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.178 |
| Inclination | 4.51° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.866 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Mary
- (4793) Slessor
- (5595) Roth
- (6603) Marycragg
- (7091) Maryfields
- (7958) Leakey
- (9824) Marylea
- (10870) Gwendolen
- (11369) Brazelton
- (12590) Ballantine
- (12627) Maryedwards
- (12628) Acworthorr
- (13412) Guerrieri
All asteroids named after someone called Mary
Also discovered on 7 April 2000
- (15599) Richardlarson
- (15603) Kimyoonji
- (15604) Fruits
- (15608) Owens
- (15609) Kosmaczewski
- (15611) Leejoonyoung
- (15612) Parkmincheol
- (15614) Pillinger
- (16238) Chappe
- (16239) Dower
- (16241) Dvorsky
- (16242) Licato