(8254) Moskovitz Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 2 March 1981 by S. J. Bus at Siding Spring.
Nicholas A. Moskovitz (b. 1981) is a postdoctoral research scientist at the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington, DC. His research includes spectroscopy of differentiated minor planets and their relationships to meteorites, with a particular focus on Vesta-like objects and HED meteorites.Naming citation (20120506/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Moskovitz is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Moskovitz is 2.51 au from the Sun and 3.50 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 8254 |
| Provisional designation | 1981 EF18 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 2.54 km (#16,177 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.571 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 14.73 |
| Orbital period | 3.49 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.30 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.08 – 2.52 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0948 |
| Inclination | 5.35° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.09 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Nicholas
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- (3110) Wagman
- (5774) Ratliff
- (9403) Sanduleak
- (11718) Hayward
- (13699) Nickthomas
- (16150) Clinch
- (16193) Nickaiser
- (18015) Semenkovich
- (19384) Winton
- (19425) Nicholasrapp
- (20371) Ekladyous
All asteroids named after someone called Nicholas
Also discovered on 2 March 1981
- (2884) Reddish
- (2919) Dali
- (2980) Cameron
- (2981) Chagall
- (2990) Trimberger
- (3000) Leonardo
- (3121) Tamines
- (3122) Florence
- (3207) Spinrad
- (3252) Johnny
- (3304) Pearce
- (3524) Schulz