9617 Grahamchapman
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
9617 Grahamchapman is an asteroid in the main belt between Mars and Jupiter.
[edit] Name
Grahamchapman is named after British comedian Graham Chapman, who died in 1989. The asteroid is one of many main belt asteroids named after famous personalities. It is the first in a series of six asteroids carrying the names of members of the Monty Python comedy troupe:
- 9617 Grahamchapman
- 9618 Johncleese
- 9619 Terrygilliam
- 9620 Ericidle
- 9621 Michaelpalin
- 9622 Terryjones
[edit] Discovery
Grahamchapman was discovered on March 17, 1993, at the European Southern Observatory during the Uppsala-ESO Survey of Asteroids and Comets (UESAC). Its initial designation was 1993 FA5. In early 2006, observations by the Ondřejov NEO Photometric Program determined that 9617 Grahamchapman is a binary asteroid.
[edit] External links
- Uppsala-ESO Survey of Asteroids and Comets
- Ondrejov Asteroid Photometry Project
- European Southern Observatory
Vulcanoids · Near-Earth asteroids · Main belt · Jupiter Trojans · Centaurs · Damocloids · Comets · Trans-Neptunians (Kuiper belt • Scattered disc • Oort cloud)
For other objects and regions, see Asteroid groups and families, Binary asteroids, Asteroid moons and the Solar System.
For a complete listing, see List of asteroids. See also Pronunciation of asteroid names and Meanings of asteroid names.
