(24959) Zielenbach Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 3 October 1997 by Galad, A., Pravda, A. at Modra.
A former rocket scientist, Bill Zielenbach (b. 1943) worked in the printing industry. Since retiring, he has returned to science, estimating masses for more than 100 main belt minor planets, using his nearly six dozen old Macs running continuously more than three years.Naming citation (MPC batch dated 2013-10-18), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Zielenbach is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Zielenbach is 3.38 au from the Sun and 3.90 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 24959 |
| Provisional designation | 1997 TR |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 7.18 km (#7,431 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.164 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.34 |
| Orbital period | 5.41 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.08 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.75 – 3.41 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.107 |
| Inclination | 8.83° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.75 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
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