37 Fides

37 Fides is a large main-belt asteroid. It was discovered on October 5, 1855, by Robert Luther at the Bilk Observatory in Düsseldorf. Fides is named after the Roman goddess of trust and good faith.

Fides is a C-type asteroid, which means it is dark in color and composed of carbonaceous materials. It is estimated to be about 108 kilometers in diameter and has a rotation period of 7.3 hours.

Observations of Fides's lightcurve have revealed variations suggestive of an irregular shape. Further studies of the lightcurve also suggest that Fides may possess a large crater or possibly be a binary asteroid, although no satellite has been directly observed.

Fides is one of the larger asteroids in the main belt and has been extensively studied by astronomers. Its orbit lies between Mars and Jupiter.

Its position number in the asteroid catalog is 37, hence the prefix "37" in its name. This numerical designation is standard practice for cataloging minor planets.