(172317) Walterbos Main-belt Asteroid

Discovered on 4 October 2002 by Sloan Digital Sky Survey at Apache Point.

Rene Walterbos (b. 1957) is a Dutch/American astronomer and a contributor to the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, known for his research of the interstellar medium in the Andromeda galaxy and other nearby galaxies.Naming citation (20130127/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL

Where Walterbos is today

MercuryVenusEarthEarthMarsMarsWalterbosWalterbos

Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Walterbos is 2.80 au from the Sun and 3.08 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.

Facts

Number172317
Provisional designation2002 TZ315
Orbit classMain-belt Asteroid
Absolute magnitude (H)15.88
Orbital period4.57 years
Semi-major axis2.75 au
Perihelion – aphelion2.52 – 2.99 au
Eccentricity0.0852
Inclination14.2°
Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID)1.53 au

Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.

Also named after someone called Rene

Also discovered on 4 October 2002

More named asteroids discovered by Sloan Digital Sky Survey