612 Veronika
Encyclopedia
612 Veronika is a minor planet
orbiting the Sun
. It was discovered on October 8, 1906 by August Kopff
from Heidelberg
. The reason for the name is unknown; asteroid etymologist Lutz D. Schmadel
suspects that it may have been inspired by the letter code "VN" in its provisional designation, 1906 VN.
Minor planet
An asteroid group or minor-planet group is a population of minor planets that have a share broadly similar orbits. Members are generally unrelated to each other, unlike in an asteroid family, which often results from the break-up of a single asteroid...
orbiting the Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
. It was discovered on October 8, 1906 by August Kopff
August Kopff
August Kopff was a German astronomer who discovered several comets and asteroids. He worked in Heidelberg, then joined the Humboldt University of Berlin where he became the Director of the Institute for Astronomical Calculation.He discovered some comets, including periodic comet 22P/Kopff and the...
from Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
. The reason for the name is unknown; asteroid etymologist Lutz D. Schmadel
Lutz D. Schmadel
Lutz D. Schmadel is a German astronomer who works at the Astronomisches Rechen-Institut of the University of Heidelberg.He is a prolific discoverer of asteroids. His special interest is the orbit/course of the asteroids...
suspects that it may have been inspired by the letter code "VN" in its provisional designation, 1906 VN.