(6808) Plantin Main-belt Asteroid

Discovered on 5 February 1932 by K. Reinmuth at Heidelberg.

Named in memory of Christophe Plantin (c.1520-1589), printer and founder of an important printing house in Antwerp. As a youth he learned the profession of bookbinder. In 1549 he settled in Antwerp and printed his first book there in 1555. Throughout the ensuing years he established himself as a printer of great fame. His “Officina Plantiniana” published the works of contemporary scientists (among others Dodoens, Mercator, Stevin and Vesalius) and also many religious works. At the height of his career he had sixteen presses running, producing publications of exceptional quality. His greatest venture was the Biblia Regia. The “Officina” was sold in 1876 to the city of Antwerp and is now one of its most important museums. Name proposed and citation written by E. Goffin.Naming citation (19960828/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL

Where Plantin is today

Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Plantin is 2.07 au from the Sun and 3.03 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.

Facts

Number	6808
Provisional designation	1932 CP
Orbit class	Main-belt Asteroid
Diameter	5.36 km (#9,949 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size)
Albedo	0.289
Rotation period	5.82 hours
Absolute magnitude (H)	13.64
Orbital period	3.37 years
Semi-major axis	2.25 au
Perihelion – aphelion	2.04 – 2.46 au
Eccentricity	0.0941
Inclination	7.56°
Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID)	1.03 au

Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.

Also named after someone called Christophe

All asteroids named after someone called Christophe

Also discovered on 5 February 1932

More named asteroids discovered by K. Reinmuth

All 394

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