(8356) Wadhwa Main-belt Asteroid

Discovered on 3 September 1989 by Shoemaker, C. S., Shoemaker, E. M. at Palomar.

Named in honor of Meenakshi Wadhwa, known as Mini to her friends. Mini's studies of the microdistribution of trace elements in all known martian meteorites have led to a better understanding of the origin of these rocks and have contributed to the igneous history of planet Mars. Her use of extinct and long-lived radioisotopes to decipher the chronology of meteorites is bringing new insights into the formation of a variety of objects from different asteroidal bodies. As Curator of Meteorites, Minerals and Gems at the Field Museum of Natural History, she is actively involved in public education about meteorites and their parent asteroids. Citation prepared by M. S. Robinson at the request of C. S. Shoemaker.Naming citation (19990202/MPCPages.arc), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL

Where Wadhwa is today

Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Wadhwa is 2.68 au from the Sun and 3.08 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.

Facts

Number	8356
Provisional designation	1989 RO2
Orbit class	Main-belt Asteroid
Diameter	6.75 km (#7,946 largest of 17,440 named asteroids with a measured size)
Albedo	0.295
Rotation period	3.04 hours
Absolute magnitude (H)	13.06
Orbital period	3.79 years
Semi-major axis	2.43 au
Perihelion – aphelion	1.72 – 3.15 au
Eccentricity	0.294
Inclination	23.1°
Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID)	0.774 au

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

Also discovered on 3 September 1989

More named asteroids discovered by Shoemaker, C. S., Shoemaker, E. M.

All 165

← (8355) Masuo · (8357) O'Connor →