(8079) Bernardlovell Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 4 December 1986 by E. Bowell at Anderson Mesa.
Bernard Lovell (b. 1913) founded Jodrell Bank Observatory, which boasts the world's first large steerable radio telescope. Lovell served as president of the Royal Astronomical Society from 1969 to 1971. The name was suggested by S. Mitton.Naming citation (20000726/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Bernardlovell is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Bernardlovell is 1.92 au from the Sun and 0.952 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 8079 |
| Provisional designation | 1986 XF1 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 4.54 km (#11,539 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.157 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.93 |
| Orbital period | 3.66 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.37 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.92 – 2.83 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.193 |
| Inclination | 2.55° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.919 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
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