(256537) Zahn Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 10 April 2007 by B. Christophe at Saint-Sulpice.
Jean-Paul Zahn (b. 1935) is a specialist in fluid dynamics and internal structure of stars. He was director of the Nice Observatory (1972-1981), the Toulouse and the Pic du Midi observatories (1981-1988), and he worked several years at Columbia University in New York. Since 1993, has been at the Paris Observatory.Naming citation (MPC batch dated 2015-01-05), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Zahn is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Zahn is 3.35 au from the Sun and 2.66 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 256537 |
| Provisional designation | 2007 GX4 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 15.62 |
| Orbital period | 5.65 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.17 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.86 – 3.49 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0995 |
| Inclination | 13.7° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.91 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Paul
- (3743) Pauljaniczek
- (4148) McCartney
- (4194) Sweitzer
- (5065) Johnstone
- (5553) Chodas
- (5997) Dirac
- (6226) Paulwarren
- (6384) Kervin
- (6629) Kurtz
- (6726) Suthers
- (6870) Pauldavies
- (7560) Spudis
All asteroids named after someone called Paul