2026-01-20 · Asteroid spotlight · 7 min
Asteroid 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 Julia is a nice example of how “named asteroids” work: a number (designation) plus a name, with orbit data you can verify.
What does “89” mean?
Numbered asteroids receive a permanent number once their orbit is well determined. The number is not a ranking — it’s historical sequencing.
What should you look at first?
- Designation: the number (here 89)
- Orbital class (if available)
- a, e, i (orbit size/shape/tilt)
How to verify
Use the “official link” in the result card:
- NASA/JPL SBDB for orbital parameters
- MPC references for naming/numbering context
Why names repeat
A “Julia” can exist as:
- an asteroid
- a crater on another body
- or neither — depending on the catalog
That’s why our tool lets you search both spaces.
Keyword focus: “asteroid 89 Julia”, “asteroid designation meaning”, “SBDB orbit”.
Next
Try the search with variants: Julia, Julie, Julio.
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