(8890) Montaigne Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 10 August 1994 by E. W. Elst at La Silla.
Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) was a French philosopher much preoccupied by the decline of intellectual optimism from the Renaissance through the Protestant Reformation. His Essays, intimate self-portraits advocating travel, reading and conversation, mark a new approach to literature.Naming citation (20021120/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Montaigne is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Montaigne is 3.23 au from the Sun and 3.94 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 8890 |
| Provisional designation | 1994 PS37 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 9.90 km (#5,156 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0940 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.39 |
| Orbital period | 5.64 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.17 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.71 – 3.62 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.144 |
| Inclination | 0.853° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.72 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Michel
- (5338) Michelblanc
- (7389) Michelcombes
- (18510) Chasles
- (20741) Jeanmichelreess
- (25625) Verdenet
- (27949) Jonasz
- (31201) Michellegrand
- (37848) Michelmeunier
- (38829) Vandeputte
- (49108) Gouttesolard
- (63129) Courtemanche
- (63787) Michelmaurette
All asteroids named after someone called Michel
Also discovered on 10 August 1994
- (6836) Paranal
- (7661) Reincken
- (7960) Condorcet
- (8205) Van Dijck
- (9079) Gesner
- (9205) Eddywally
- (9392) Cavaillon
- (9393) Apta
- (9394) Manosque
- (9395) Saint Michel
- (9638) Fuchs
- (9639) Scherer