Asteroid 12818 Tomhanks

12818 Tomhanks (1996 GU8) is a main-belt asteroid discovered on April 13, 1996 by Spacewatch at Kitt Peak. It is named after Academy Award winning actor Tom Hanks due in part to his role as Jim Lovell in the movie Apollo 13.

Orbital characteristics
Epoch           May 14, 2008
Ap             2.8954299
Peri             2.5845407
Eccentricity     0.0567319
Orbital period     1656.6118762
Mean anomaly     136.19677
Inclination     3.85353
Longitude of ascending node     77.53846
Argument of peri     228.25759

Physical characteristics
Absolute magnitude (H)     13.7

As a supporter of NASA's manned space program, Hanks has said that he originally wanted to be an astronaut but "didn't have the math." Hanks is a member of the National Space Society, serving on the Board of Governors of the nonprofit educational space advocacy organization founded by Dr. Wernher Von Braun. He also produced the HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon about the Apollo program to send astronauts to the moon. In addition, Hanks co-wrote and co-produced Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D, an IMAX film about the moon landings. Hanks also provided the voice over for the premiere of the show Passport to the Universe at the Rose Center for Earth and Space in the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

In 2006, the Space Foundation awarded Hanks the Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award. The award is given annually to an individual or organization that has made significant contributions to public awareness of space programs.

Thomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor, producer, writer, and director. Hanks has many well-known roles in very good movies.

He has earned and been nominated for numerous awards during his career, including winning a Golden Globe for Best Actor and an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Philadelphia and a Golden Globe, an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a People's Choice Award for Best Actor for his role in Forrest Gump, and earning the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film from the BAFTAs in 2004.

Hanks is also known for his collaboration with film director Steven Spielberg on Saving Private Ryan and the mini-series Band of Brothers, which launched Hanks also as a successful director, producer and writer.

As of 2012, Hanks' films have grossed over $4.2 billion at the United States box office alone, and over $8.5 billion worldwide making him the highest all-time box office star.

In 1988, Hanks married actress Rita Wilson. The two first met on the set of Hanks's television show Bosom Buddies but later developed a romantic interest while working on the film Volunteers. They have two sons. Rita Wilson is a Greek. She was also in the movie of Sleepless Seattle, as his sister role. There is a very funny scene she played in tears. This couple is likable.

She watched most of his movies. She especially likes those: Sleepless in Seattle, Big, Catch Me If You Can, You've Got Mail, and Forrest Gump. He is a serious actor and is very good at what he is doing.