An asteroid has been named in honour of Garcia Alabiano, the second rector of Vilnius University, the university announced Monday.
The asteroid, catalogue number 2012 EN6 (763533), was discovered in 2012 at the Vatican Observatory by Kazimieras Černis, a researcher at Vilnius University’s Institute of Theoretical Physics and Astronomy, and Jesuit priest Richard P. Boyle. The International Astronomical Union officially approved the name on January 9.
“I want as many asteroids as possible to be named after famous people. I would like to name as many asteroids as possible after the university’s rectors, but of course, it’s a slow process, with only a few asteroids per year,” Černis said in a statement.
According to the Minor Planet Center of the International Astronomical Union, the asteroid orbits the Sun at an average distance 2.23 times that of Earth and completes one orbit in 3.33 years. It will be visible from Earth in mid-August.
Vilnius University historian Liudas Jovaiša said Alabiano taught dogmatic theology at the university from 1578 to 1584.
The Vatican Observatory, where the asteroid was discovered, was founded and continues to be run by the Jesuit Order.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
