(7056) Kierkegaard Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 26 September 1989 by E. W. Elst at La Silla.
Named in memory of the great Danish religious philosopher Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855), known as the “father of existentialism”. All his life he suffered from the influence of the overpowering personality of his father, who educated him in strict adherence to orthodox Lutheranism. His unfortunate relationship with Regine Olsen also severely influenced his life and writings. Kierkegaard believed in the necessity for each individual to make a fully conscious, responsible choice among the alternatives that life offers. His well-known Fear and Trembling and Repetition dealt with faith and the idea of sacrifice. In The Sickness unto Death he anticipated aspects of Freudian psychoanalysis. He made also severe attacks on Hegel's attempt to systematize the whole of existence.Naming citation (19961224/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Kierkegaard is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Kierkegaard is 2.79 au from the Sun and 2.32 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 7056 |
| Provisional designation | 1989 SE2 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 7.58 km (#7,025 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.233 |
| Spectral type | Sq |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.01 |
| Orbital period | 4.71 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.81 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.66 – 2.96 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0522 |
| Inclination | 5.25° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.65 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also discovered on 26 September 1989
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- (6240) Lucretius Carus
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- (6826) Lavoisier
- (7647) Etrepigny
- (7934) Sinatra
- (8488) d'Argens
- (8649) Juglans
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- (8835) Annona