(6966) Vietoris Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 13 September 1991 by Schmadel, L. D., Borngen, F. at Tautenburg.
Named in honor of Leopold Vietoris (b. 1891), professor emeritus of mathematics of the Leopold-Franzens-University in Innsbruck, on the occasion of his forthcoming 107th birthday. Vietoris is the oldest full member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and a highly decorated scientist. He made fundamental contributions to algebraic and set-theory topology, and he also wrote outstanding papers on the theory of real functions and on applied mathematics. Named by the first discoverer following a suggestion by H. Haupt, who prepared the citation.Naming citation (19980610/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Vietoris is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Vietoris is 2.38 au from the Sun and 1.38 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 6966 |
| Provisional designation | 1991 RD5 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Rotation period | 2.77 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.77 |
| Orbital period | 3.18 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.16 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.93 – 2.39 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.106 |
| Inclination | 2.91° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.927 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Leopold
All asteroids named after someone called Leopold
Also discovered on 13 September 1991
- (5338) Michelblanc
- (5628) Preussen
- (6044) Hammer-Purgstall
- (7586) Bismarck
- (7767) Tomatic
- (7945) Kreisau
- (9761) Krautter
- (9762) Hermannhesse
- (9863) Reichardt
- (10096) Colleenohare
- (12729) Berger
- (13531) Weizsacker