(16797) Wilkerson Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 7 February 1997 by Boattini, A., Tesi, L. at San Marcello.
Winston S. Wilkerson, uncle of the first discoverer's wife, is a member of the physics faculty at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York. His interests have concentrated on variable stars, and he has been a member of the American Association of Variable Star Observers for many years.Naming citation (20010705/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Wilkerson is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Wilkerson is 3.48 au from the Sun and 4.46 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 16797 |
| Provisional designation | 1997 CA17 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.35 |
| Orbital period | 5.71 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.19 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.71 – 3.68 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.152 |
| Inclination | 7.85° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.73 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Winston
All asteroids named after someone called Winston
Also discovered on 7 February 1997
- (11652) Johnbrownlee
- (12835) Stropek
- (15882) Dingzhong
- (18556) Battiato
- (23650) Cvancara
- (43954) Chynov
- (43956) Elidoro
- (43957) Invernizzi
- (46701) Interrante