(8580) Pinsky Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 14 December 1996 by P. G. Comba at Prescott.
Named in honor of Robert Pinsky (b. 1940), poet laureate of the United States since 1997. Besides several books of poetry, Pinsky has produced a much-acclaimed new English translation of Dante's Inferno. Written in slant rhyme, Pinsky's version captures the rhythm and grandeur of the great Italian poet's masterpiece.Naming citation (19980610/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Pinsky is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Pinsky is 3.50 au from the Sun and 4.29 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 8580 |
| Provisional designation | 1996 XZ25 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 13.7 km (#3,474 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.0590 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.25 |
| Orbital period | 5.49 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.11 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.68 – 3.55 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.140 |
| Inclination | 12.1° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.71 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Robert
- (1955) McMath
- (3514) Hooke
- (3875) Staehle
- (4564) Clayton
- (4809) Robertball
- (5109) Robertmiller
- (5308) Hutchison
- (5477) Holmes
- (5585) Parks
- (5636) Jacobson
- (5739) Robertburns
- (5817) Robertfrazer
All asteroids named after someone called Robert
Also discovered on 14 December 1996
More named asteroids discovered by P. G. Comba
- (7684) Marioferrero
- (8223) Bradshaw
- (8224) Fultonwright
- (8407) Houlahan
- (8420) Angrogna
- (8583) Froberger
- (8734) Warner
- (8945) Cavaradossi
- (9238) Yavapai
- (9445) Charpentier
- (9662) Frankhubbard
- (9669) Symmetria
← (8579) Hieizan · (8581) Johnen →