(6949) Zissell Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 11 September 1982 by Oak Ridge Observatory at Harvard.
Ronald E. Zissell (b. 1943) is an astronomer who has dedicated much of his career to observations of variable stars. Through his tireless work as a laboratory instructor, he has also enriched the life of students at Mount Holyoke College. The name was suggested by T. H. Burbine.Naming citation (20070730/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Zissell is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Zissell is 2.57 au from the Sun and 1.62 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 6949 |
| Provisional designation | 1982 RZ |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 8.18 km (#6,401 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0750 |
| Rotation period | 3.63 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.81 |
| Orbital period | 3.63 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.36 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.97 – 2.75 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.164 |
| Inclination | 13.2° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.00 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Ronald
- (2285) Ron Helin
- (3579) Rockholt
- (9852) Gora
- (9923) Ronaldthiel
- (10508) Haughey
- (11724) Ronaldhsu
- (13497) Ronstone
- (16813) Ronmastaler
- (17853) Ronaldsayer
- (18239) Ekers
- (20465) Vervack
- (21451) Fisher
All asteroids named after someone called Ronald