(8000) Isaac Newton Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 5 September 1986 by H. Debehogne at La Silla.
Named for Isaac Newton (1643-1727), hailed by some as the greatest universal genius of all time. Newton formulated the laws of motion, with the specific application to gravitation, and is known for his 1687 publication of the Principia Mathematica. He also made seminal contributions to optics and the construction of the reflecting telescope. Newton was the last to observe, from his rooms at Trinity College, Cambridge, the great comet of 1680---the first comet to have its motion explained on gravitational principles. He also served as master of the Royal Mint in London. Named by the Small Bodies Names Committee.Naming citation (19980211/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Isaac Newton is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Isaac Newton is 3.32 au from the Sun and 3.96 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 8000 |
| Provisional designation | 1986 RL5 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 10.6 km (#4,791 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.209 |
| Rotation period | 12.5 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 12.59 |
| Orbital period | 5.39 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.07 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.83 – 3.32 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0801 |
| Inclination | 9.73° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.83 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Isaac
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