Definition
8116 Jeanperrin is a numbered minor planet (asteroid) located in the main asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. It has been officially named after the French physicist Jean Perrin (1870–1942).
Overview
The object was assigned the provisional designation 1994 EU₁₆ upon discovery and later received the permanent number 8116. It is catalogued by the International Astronomical Union’s Minor Planet Center (MPC) and is included in the JPL Small‑Body Database. As a main‑belt asteroid, it orbits the Sun in a relatively stable, low‑eccentricity trajectory typical of the population.
Etymology / Origin
The asteroid’s name honors Jean Perrin, a Nobel‑Prize‑winning French physicist renowned for his experimental confirmation of the atomic nature of matter and his contributions to statistical mechanics. The naming citation, published by the Working Group for Small Body Nomenclature, explicitly links the designation to Perrin’s scientific legacy.
Characteristics
- Classification: Main‑belt asteroid (non‑resonant).
- Spectral type: Not definitively classified; many main‑belt objects are of the S‑ or C‑type, but a specific taxonomy for 8116 Jeanperrin has not been confirmed in publicly available literature.
- Orbital parameters: Detailed orbital elements (semimajor axis, eccentricity, inclination, orbital period, etc.) are recorded in the JPL Small‑Body Database. These data place the asteroid’s orbit within the central region of the main belt.
- Physical properties: The absolute magnitude (H) and estimated diameter are listed in MPC records; however, precise measurements of size, albedo, and composition have not been published in peer‑reviewed sources as of the latest available data.
- Discovery: The asteroid was discovered by astronomer Eric W. Elst at the La Silla Observatory in Chile. The exact discovery date is recorded in MPC archives (provisional designation 1994 EU₁₆), but the precise calendar date is not cited in widely disseminated encyclopedic references.
Related Topics
- Jean Perrin (physicist) – Nobel laureate whose work in thermodynamics and statistical physics is commemorated by the asteroid’s name.
- Minor planet (asteroid) designation system – The process by which provisional designations are assigned and later replaced by permanent numbers and names.
- Main asteroid belt – The region of space between Mars and Jupiter populated by numerous rocky bodies, including 8116 Jeanperrin.
- International Astronomical Union (IAU) – Working Group for Small Body Nomenclature – The body responsible for approving names of minor planets.
Note: While the existence and naming of 8116 Jeanperrin are documented by the Minor Planet Center and the IAU, detailed physical and orbital characteristics are not extensively covered in publicly accessible encyclopedic sources.