(8786) Belskaya Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 2 September 1978 by C.-I. Lagerkvist at La Silla.
Named in honor of Irina N. Belskaya, senior astronomer at the Kharkov Astronomical Observatory and a friend of the discoverer. Her research focuses on the spin and surface properties of main-belt minor planets, in particular, objects of the taxonomic type M. She has made important contributions in this field by combining photometric and polarimetric observations with optical laboratory measurements of the analogous asteroidal materials. Citation prepared by A. Erikson.Naming citation (19981208/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Belskaya is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Belskaya is 3.52 au from the Sun and 4.49 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 8786 |
| Provisional designation | 1978 RA8 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 10.5 km (#4,826 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0590 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.69 |
| Orbital period | 5.63 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.16 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.67 – 3.66 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.157 |
| Inclination | 1.57° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.67 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Irina
All asteroids named after someone called Irina
Also discovered on 2 September 1978
- (4310) Stromholm
- (7047) Lundstrom
- (9265) Ekman
- (9266) Holger
- (9267) Lokrume
- (10013) Stenholm
- (10265) Gunnarsson
- (10458) Sfranke
- (10997) Gahm
- (11256) Fuglesang
- (12663) Bjorkegren
- (13908) Wolbern