Aries discovery

Minor planet discovered in Aries.

15th century manuscript miniature illustration of Eris throwing the golden apple at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, from Jean Miélot's L'Epître d'Othéa.
Aries discovery, Dwarf planets, Focus On, Scattered disk objects, Trans-Neptunian objects

Focus On: (136199) Eris

Name origin: Greek goddess or personified spirit (daimona) of strife, discord, contention and rivalry. Eris was often portrayed specifically as the daimona of the strife of war, haunting the battlefield and delighting in human bloodshed. Because of Eris’ disagreeable nature she was the only goddess not to be invited to the wedding of Peleus and Thetis. When she turned up anyway and was refused admittance, she raged and threw in the golden apple that famously led to the Trojan War. She was closely identified with Enyo, the goddess of war and a close companion of Ares.

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Detail of a studio portrait photograph of Venetia Burney, aged 11, around the time she named Pluto (crop).
Aries discovery, Asteroids, Focus On, Inner main belt objects, Main belt objects

Focus On: (6235) Burney

Name origin: Venetia Phair (née Burney), who at age 11 was the first to suggest the name Pluto when said planet was discovered. She studied mathematics and became an accountant, and later a teacher.

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Close-up photo of a pink lotus flower in bloom.
Aries discovery, Asteroids, Focus On, Karma family, Main belt objects

Focus On: (3811) Karma

Named for the ancient Indian philosophical principle of cause and effect: good actions and intent have good consequences; bad actions and intent have bad consequences. This can also refer to how a person’s actions affect who they become. (Note that the various theories of karma are generally much more complex than in popular media descriptions.)

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The Doric Temple of Hephaestus, at the Agora of Athens, Greece.
Apollo group, Aries discovery, Asteroids, Focus On, Near-Earth objects

Focus On: (2212) Hephaistos

Name origin: Greek god of blacksmiths, metalworking, carpenters, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metallurgy, fire, and volcanoes. He became renowned for his skill at craftsmanship; several of his myths involve his works for gods and mortals.

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Filippino Lippi (1457-1504): Five Sibyls Seated in Niches: the Samian, Cumean, Hellespontic, Phrygian and Tiburtine, c. 1465-1470.
Aries discovery, Asteroids, Cybele group objects, Focus On, Main belt objects, Outer main belt objects

Focus On: (168) Sibylla

Named after the Sibyls, oracles in ancient Greece. Originally there may have been just one Sibyl at a time, but the number eventually increased to nine or ten. Bases included Delphi, Samos, Delos and Clarus. The etymology of the term’s source is unknown.

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