(21039) Zank Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 2 March 1990 by E. W. Elst at La Silla.
Gary Zank (b. 1961) is an American space physicist who developed the first modern models describing large-scale heliospheric interaction with the local ISM. His first two papers predicted the existence of the Hydrogen Wall adjacent to and beyond the heliopause which, when confirmed, was regarded as one of the major space physics discoveries of the 1990s.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 6, #13, 4), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Zank is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Zank is 2.82 au from the Sun and 2.28 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 21039 |
| Provisional designation | 1990 ES4 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 2.41 km (#16,436 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.334 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 15.25 |
| Orbital period | 3.78 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.43 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.03 – 2.83 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.165 |
| Inclination | 1.47° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.01 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Gary
- (6288) Fouts
- (7157) Lofgren
- (7273) Garyhuss
- (12272) Geddylee
- (19818) Shotwell
- (20046) Seronik
- (20317) Hendrickson
- (20573) Garynadler
- (22406) Garyboyle
- (25233) Tallman
- (26541) Garyross
- (30521) Garyferland
All asteroids named after someone called Gary
Also discovered on 2 March 1990
- (4546) Franck
- (5780) Lafontaine
- (6309) Elsschot
- (6483) Nikolajvasil'ev
- (6780) Borodin
- (7285) Seggewiss
- (8652) Acacia
- (9329) Nikolaimedtner
- (11506) Toulouse-Lautrec
- (11876) Doncarpenter
- (13037) Potosi
- (13038) Woolston