3553 Mera
Encyclopedia
3553 Mera is a Amor asteroid
discovered on May 14, 1985 by C. Shoemaker at Palomar
. It was named for Maera
, a daughter of Praetus
.
Amor asteroid
The Amor asteroids are a group of near-Earth asteroids named after the asteroid 1221 Amor. They approach the orbit of the Earth from beyond, but do not cross it. Most Amors do cross the orbit of Mars...
discovered on May 14, 1985 by C. Shoemaker at Palomar
Palomar Observatory
Palomar Observatory is a privately owned observatory located in San Diego County, California, southeast of Pasadena's Mount Wilson Observatory, in the Palomar Mountain Range. At approximately elevation, it is owned and operated by the California Institute of Technology...
. It was named for Maera
Maera
-Mythology and religion:*The name Maera or Maira is used by several beings in Greek mythology:**Maera , hound of Icarius, was turned into the dog star**Maera , daughter of Proetus, mother of Locrus by Zeus...
, a daughter of Praetus
Proetus
Proetus was a mythical king of Argos and Tiryns. His father Abas, son of the last surviving and died Danaid Hypermnestra, had ruled over Argos and married Ocalea. However, Proetus quarreled continually with his twin brother Acrisius, inventing shields or bucklers in the process...
.