(11121) Malpighi Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 10 September 1996 by V. Goretti at Pianoro.
Marcello Malpighi (1628-1694) holds a prominent position in the history of medicine and biology, working in Pisa, Bologna, Messina and Rome. A pioneer in the use of the microscope in anatomy, he made fundamental studies of the lungs. He later made contributions in hematology and embryology.Naming citation (20000726/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Malpighi is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Malpighi is 2.30 au from the Sun and 1.72 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 11121 |
| Provisional designation | 1996 RD1 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 3.28 km (#14,542 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.125 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 15.5 |
| Orbital period | 3.27 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.20 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.87 – 2.53 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.150 |
| Inclination | 3.45° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.862 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Marcello
All asteroids named after someone called Marcello