(18) Melpomene Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 24 June 1852 by J. R. Hind at London.
Where Melpomene is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Melpomene is 1.97 au from the Sun and 1.74 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 18 |
| Provisional designation | A852 MA |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 140 km (#102 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.181 |
| Rotation period | 11.6 hours |
| Spectral type | S |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 6.35 |
| Orbital period | 3.48 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.30 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 1.80 – 2.80 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.218 |
| Inclination | 10.1° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 0.812 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
More named asteroids discovered by J. R. Hind
← (17) Thetis · (19) Fortuna →