(8308) Julie-Melissa Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 17 April 1996 by E. W. Elst at La Silla.
Named in memory of the two Belgian children Julie and Mélissa, who were murdered tragically in 1996, symbolizing all innocent children suffering from abuse.Naming citation (19980610/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Julie-Melissa is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Julie-Melissa is 2.69 au from the Sun and 3.20 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 8308 |
| Provisional designation | 1996 HD13 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 3.01 km (#15,197 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.257 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 15.01 |
| Orbital period | 3.50 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.31 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.92 – 2.69 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.166 |
| Inclination | 2.67° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.910 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also discovered on 17 April 1996
- (7537) Solvay
- (8116) Jeanperrin
- (9430) Erichthonios
- (9664) Brueghel
- (13177) Hansschmidt
- (13644) Lynnanderson
- (15364) Kenglover
- (15861) Ispahan
- (16730) Nijisseiki
- (16731) Mitsumata
- (18493) Demoleon
- (23617) Duna