2026-01-20
Asteroid spotlightAsteroid spotlight: 3 Juno — main-belt classic with a mythological name
Meet 3 Juno: why it’s famous historically, what its orbital numbers mean, and where the name comes from.
3 Junomain belt asteroidmythologyorbitSBDB
Blog
Blog
Guides, stories, and practical astronomy around names, asteroids, and planetary nomenclature.
2026-01-20
Asteroid spotlightAsteroid spotlight: 89 Julia — what the name means and how to read its orbit
A friendly walkthrough of an example named asteroid (Julia): designation, orbit basics, and how to verify sources.
89 Juliaasteroid spotlightSBDBMPCorbit
2026-01-20
Planetary namingPlanetary names 101: how the IAU/USGS system works
A practical guide to official planetary nomenclature (craters, mountains, valleys) and how to search it safely.
IAUUSGSplanetary nomenclaturecratersMars
2026-01-20
OrbitsOrbit in 3 minutes: a, e, i in simple terms
A quick, beginner-friendly explanation of the three orbit parameters you’ll see for named asteroids.
orbit basicssemi-major axiseccentricityinclinationAU
2026-01-20
Planetary namingYour name in the sky vs ‘name a star’: what’s official and what’s marketing
Clear differences between official catalogs (IAU/USGS, MPC, NASA/JPL) and commercial ‘star naming’ services.
name a starofficial astronomyIAUMPCNASA JPL
2026-01-20
Names & mythologyMythology in space names: why so many asteroids sound ‘ancient’
From Juno to Ceres: how mythology shaped early naming and why modern naming themes still matter.
mythologyasteroid namesCeresJunonaming conventions
2026-01-20
OrbitsClose approaches explained: AU → km → lunar distances
What a ‘close approach’ really means, how to interpret AU, and why lunar distance is a useful shortcut.
close approachAU to kmlunar distanceNEOrelative velocity
2026-01-20
Getting startedAsteroids vs planetary features: what you’re actually searching
Two different ‘name spaces’: surface features (craters, mountains) vs minor planets (asteroids). Here’s how to read results.
asteroid namecrater nameminor planetIAUNASA JPL