(8171) Stauffenberg Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 5 September 1991 by Borngen, F., Schmadel, L. D. at Tautenburg.
Named in honor of the German count Claus Graf Schenk von Stauffenberg (1907-1944), the driving force behind a conspiracy of German military and politicians to overthrow the fascist regime. An unsuccessful attempt on the fascist leader's life was carried out personally by Stauffenberg on 1944 July 20. This had far-ranging consequences that can not always be fully appreciated, even though the immediate outcome was the arrest of approximately 1000 and the execution of more than 200, including Stauffenberg, the very same day. Name proposed by the first discoverer.Naming citation (19980411/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Stauffenberg is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Stauffenberg is 3.06 au from the Sun and 4.04 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 8171 |
| Provisional designation | 1991 RV3 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Diameter | 8.75 km (#5,960 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size) |
| Albedo | 0.133 |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 13.06 |
| Orbital period | 5.36 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.06 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.87 – 3.26 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.0644 |
| Inclination | 9.05° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.86 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Claus
All asteroids named after someone called Claus