Discovery date 29 September 1973 Observation arc 22983 days (62.92 yr) Orbits Sun MPC designation 8318 | Alternative names 1306 T-2 Discovered 29 September 1973 Asteroid group Asteroid belt | |
Aphelion 3.6926144 AU (552.40725 Gm) Perihelion 2.6905490 AU (402.50040 Gm) Discoverers Tom Gehrels, Cornelis Johannes van Houten, Ingrid van Houten-Groeneveld | ||
8318 Averroes (1306 T-2) is a main-belt asteroid discovered on September 29, 1973 by Cornelis Johannes van Houten, Ingrid van Houten-Groeneveld and Tom Gehrels at Palomar Observatory.
This asteroid was named in honor of Muhammad ibn Rushd, a 12th-century Muslim polymath from Andalusia, whose many scientific accomplishments include a study of astronomy. The name "ibn Rushd" was Latinized to "Averroes", as his commentaries on Aristotle were being translated into Latin, bringing knowledge of that famous philosopher back to Christendom, where it had been nearly forgotten. These kinds of Latin translations of the 12th century brought classical and Islamic knowledge into Europe, spurring the Renaissance.
References
8318 Averroes Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA