(8640) Ritaschulz Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 6 November 1986 by E. Bowell at Anderson Mesa.
Rita Schulz (b. 1961), a German planetary scientist at the European Space Agency, is an expert on the physical and chemical properties of comets. She studied the structure of the CN coma of comet 1P/Halley and is currently deputy project scientist on the Rosetta mission. The name was suggested by M. A. Barucci.Naming citation (20000523/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Ritaschulz is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Ritaschulz is 2.67 au from the Sun and 2.83 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 8640 |
| Provisional designation | 1986 VX5 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 6.44 km (#8,321 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.204 |
| Rotation period | 11.1 hours |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.79 |
| Orbital period | 4.56 years |
| Semi-major axis | 2.75 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.37 – 3.13 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.139 |
| Inclination | 5.52° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.37 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Rita
- (9722) Levi-Montalcini
- (15145) Ritageorge
- (52426) Ritaalessandro
- (84417) Ritabo
- (87644) Cathomen
- (181136) Losonczrita
All asteroids named after someone called Rita