8990 Compassion
Encyclopedia
8990 Compassion is an asteroid
, originally designated 1980 DN, discovered on 19 February 1980 at the Kleť Observatory
in the Czech Republic
.
The asteroid was named in response to the September 11 attacks. As a commemorative gesture, the Committee for the Nomenclature of Small Bodies chose three objects discovered in observatories
on different continents and christened them with names representing some of the most basic and universal human values. The other two selections were 8992 Magnanimity
(discovered from Asia
) and 8991 Solidarity
(discovered from South America
).
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
, originally designated 1980 DN, discovered on 19 February 1980 at the Kleť Observatory
Klet Observatory
Kleť Observatory is an astronomical observatory in the Czech Republic. It is situated in South Bohemia, south of the summit of Mount Kleť, near the town of České Budějovice...
in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
.
The asteroid was named in response to the September 11 attacks. As a commemorative gesture, the Committee for the Nomenclature of Small Bodies chose three objects discovered in observatories
Observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
on different continents and christened them with names representing some of the most basic and universal human values. The other two selections were 8992 Magnanimity
8992 Magnanimity
8992 Magnanimity is an asteroid previously designated '. It was discovered on October 14, 1980 from the Purple Mountain Observatory in Nanking, China.The asteroid was named in response to the September 11 attacks...
(discovered from Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
) and 8991 Solidarity
8991 Solidarity
8991 Solidarity is an asteroid previously designated '. It was discovered on August 6, 1980 from the European Southern Observatory in Cerro La Silla, Chile.The asteroid was named in response to the September 11 attacks...
(discovered from South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
).