8 Flora - Discovery and Naming

Discovery and Naming

Flora was discovered by J. R. Hind on October 18, 1847. It was his second asteroid discovery after 7 Iris.

The name Flora was proposed by John Herschel, from Flora, the Latin goddess of flowers and gardens, wife of Zephyrus (the personification of the West wind), and mother of Spring. The Greek equivalent is Chloris, who has her own asteroid, 410 Chloris, but in Greek Flora is also called Chloris (8 Χλωρίς).

Read more about this topic:  8 Flora

Famous quotes containing the words discovery and/or naming:

    Next to the striking of fire and the discovery of the wheel, the greatest triumph of what we call civilization was the domestication of the human male.
    Max Lerner (b. 1902)

    Husband,
    who am I to reject the naming of foods
    in a time of famine?
    Anne Sexton (1928–1974)