165659 Michaelhicks facts for kids
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Near Earth Asteroid Tracking |
| Discovery date | June 15, 2001 |
| Designations | |
| MPC designation | 165659 Michaelhicks |
|
Named after
|
Michael D. Hicks |
| 2001 LZ6 | |
| main belt asteroid | |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Aphelion | 4.2224143 AU (631,664,188.4932 km) |
| Perihelion | 1.9805059 AU (296,279,465.549 km) |
| 3.1014601 AU (463,971,827.021 km) | |
| Eccentricity | 0.3614279 |
| 1995.0220874 days 5.46 years |
|
| 204.28888° | |
| Inclination | 27.80568° |
| Physical characteristics | |
| 14.9 | |
165659 Michaelhicks is a space rock, or asteroid, that orbits the Sun. It's part of the main asteroid belt, which is a big area between Mars and Jupiter filled with many asteroids. Before it got its official name, it was known as 2001 LZ6.
Contents
What is 165659 Michaelhicks?
This asteroid is a small, rocky object that travels around our Sun. It's not a planet, but it's like a leftover piece from when our solar system first formed. Most asteroids, including 165659 Michaelhicks, are found in the main asteroid belt. This belt is a busy region in space.
Where Does This Asteroid Orbit?
165659 Michaelhicks follows a path around the Sun. This path is called its orbit. It takes about 5.46 Earth years for this asteroid to complete one full trip around the Sun. Its orbit is quite tilted compared to Earth's orbit.
Asteroid Belt Location
The main asteroid belt is located between the orbits of the planets Mars and Jupiter. It's a vast area where millions of asteroids, big and small, are found. They all orbit the Sun, just like planets do.
How Was This Asteroid Discovered?
165659 Michaelhicks was first spotted on June 15, 2001. It was found by a special team called Near Earth Asteroid Tracking, or NEAT for short. This team uses telescopes to search for asteroids and other objects in space.
The NEAT Project
The NEAT project was created to find and track objects that could come close to Earth. They use powerful telescopes to scan the sky. This helps scientists learn more about our solar system and keep an eye on potential space visitors.
Discovery Location
The discovery happened at Haleakalā, which is a volcano in Hawaii. There are telescopes located there that are perfect for observing the night sky.
Who is Michael D. Hicks?
This asteroid was named after a real person: Michael D. Hicks. He is a scientist who works at a famous place called the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This laboratory is a big part of NASA, the United States space agency.
Michael Hicks's Work
Michael D. Hicks is a scientist who studies asteroids and other small objects in space. He helps us understand more about these space rocks. Naming an asteroid after him is a way to honor his important contributions to space science.
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, or JPL, is a leading center for robotic space exploration. They design and operate many of NASA's robotic spacecraft missions. These missions explore planets, moons, and asteroids in our solar system.
