6566 Shafter
Encyclopedia
6566 Shafter is a main-belt
minor planet
. It was discovered by Takeshi Urata
at the Nihondaira Observatory
in Shimizu, Shizuoka
, Japan, on October 25, 1992. It is named for Allen Shafter, a professor of astronomy at San Diego State University
.
Asteroid belt
The asteroid belt is the region of the Solar System located roughly between the orbits of the planets Mars and Jupiter. It is occupied by numerous irregularly shaped bodies called asteroids or minor planets...
minor planet
Minor planet
An asteroid group or minor-planet group is a population of minor planets that have a share broadly similar orbits. Members are generally unrelated to each other, unlike in an asteroid family, which often results from the break-up of a single asteroid...
. It was discovered by Takeshi Urata
Takeshi Urata
is a Japanese astronomer. He is a prolific discoverer of asteroids, observing at Nihondaira Observatory.In 1978 he became the first amateur to discover a minor planet in over fifty years. He named it after it his daughter, Mizuho. His pioneering feat led to an upsurge in such discoveries. In the...
at the Nihondaira Observatory
Nihondaira Observatory
Nihondaira Observatory is an astronomical observatory that is located on a hill overlooking Shimizu, Shizuoka, Japan.It has been the source for numerous minor planet...
in Shimizu, Shizuoka
Shimizu, Shizuoka
is a town located in Suntō District, Shizuoka, Japan. As of 2009, the town has an estimated population of 32,205and a density of 3,640 persons per km². The total area is 8.84 km².-Geography:...
, Japan, on October 25, 1992. It is named for Allen Shafter, a professor of astronomy at San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
.