(29227) Wegener Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 29 February 1992 by F. Borngen at Tautenburg.
German scientist Alfred Wegener (1880-1930) created the theory of continental drift, which explained even the climates of prehistoric times and was verified later by geotectonics. A participant in several polar expeditions, he perished on the Greenland ice sheet.Naming citation (20020526/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Wegener is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Wegener is 2.58 au from the Sun and 2.14 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 29227 |
| Provisional designation | 1992 DY13 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 3.69 km (#13,479 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.296 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.39 |
| Orbital period | 3.69 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.39 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.94 – 2.83 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.186 |
| Inclination | 2.46° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.940 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Alfred
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- (8282) Delp
- (9683) Rambaldo
- (11422) Alilienthal
- (11519) Adler
- (11765) Alfredfowler
- (11769) Alfredjoy
- (12057) Alfredsturm
- (13058) Alfredstevens
- (13672) Tarski
- (14331) Alyankovic
- (24907) Alfredhaar
All asteroids named after someone called Alfred
Also discovered on 29 February 1992
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- (9358) Faro
- (10102) Digerhuvud
- (10103) Jungfrun
- (10544) Horsnebara
- (10794) Vange
- (12310) Londontario
- (15753) Rathsman
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- (20025) Petronaviera