Editing 8 Flora (section)

{{Short description|Large main-belt asteroid}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox planet
| minorplanet = yes
| background = #D6D6D6
| name = 8 Flora
| image = 8 Flora VLT (2021), deconvolved.pdf
| image_size = 
| caption = 
| symbol = [[File:Flora symbol (bold).svg|24px]] (historical)
| discoverer = [[John Russell Hind|J.R. Hind]]
| discovered = 18 October 1847
| mpc_name = (8) Flora
| alt_names = 
| adjectives = Florian {{IPAc-en|ˈ|f|l|ɔər|i|ə|n}}
| pronounced = {{IPAc-en|ˈ|f|l|ɔər|ə}}
| named_after = [[Flora (mythology)|Flōra]]
| mp_category = [[Asteroid belt|Main belt]] ([[Flora family]])
| orbit_ref = <ref name=jpldata />
| epoch = 17.0&nbsp;October 2024<br/>([[Julian day|JD]]&nbsp;2460600.5)
| semimajor = {{Convert|2.20|AU|e6km|abbr=unit}}
| perihelion = {{Convert|1.86|AU|e6km|abbr=unit}}
| time_periastron = 1 February 2024
| aphelion = {{Convert|2.55|AU|e6km|abbr=unit|lk=on}}
| eccentricity = 0.15658
| period = 3.27 [[Julian year (astronomy)|yr]] (1192.70 d)
| inclination = 5.890°
| asc_node = 110.85°
| arg_peri = 285.4°
| mean_anomaly = 78.2°
| moid = {{Convert|0.873|AU|e6km|abbr=unit}}
| jupiter_moid = {{Convert|2.877|AU|e6km|abbr=unit}}
| tisserand = 3.642
| p_orbit_ref = <ref name=Flora-POE />
| p_semimajor = 2.2014
| p_eccentricity = 0.1449
| p_inclination = 5.574°
| p_mean_motion = 110.2
| perihelion_rate = 32.017
| node_rate = −35.51
| dimensions = ({{val|154|×|148|×|127|u=km}}) ± ({{val|7|×|6|×|4|u=km}})<ref name=VLT/><br>{{val|136|×|136|×|113|ul=km}}<ref name=Baer/><br />{{val|145|×|145|×|120|u=km}}<ref name="Torppa2003" />
| mean_diameter = {{val|146|2|u=km}}<ref name=VLT>P. Vernazza et al. (2021) VLT/SPHERE imaging survey of the largest main-belt asteroids: Final results and synthesis. ''Astronomy & Astrophysics'' 54, A56</ref><br /> {{val|128|u=km}}<ref name=Baer/><br>{{val|147.491|1.025|u=km}}<ref name=jpldata/>
| flattening = 0.18{{efn|1=Flattening derived from the maximum aspect ratio (c/a): <math>f=1-\frac{c}{a}</math>, where (c/a) = {{val|0.82|0.05}}.<ref name=VLT/>}}
| mass = {{val|4.0|1.6|e=18|u=kg}}<ref name=VLT/><br />{{val|6.62|0.84|e=18|u=kg}}{{refn|group=lower-alpha|{{val|3.33|0.42|e=−12|u={{Solar mass}}}}}}<ref name="Baer2011">James Baer, Steven Chesley & Robert Matson (2011) "Astrometric masses of 26 asteroids and observations on asteroid porosity." ''The Astronomical Journal'', Volume 141, Number 5</ref>
| density = {{val|2.4|1.0|u=g/cm3}}<ref name=VLT/><br />{{val|3.04|1.39|u=g/cm3}}<ref name="Baer2011"/>
| rotation = {{cvt|12.865|h|d}}<ref name=jpldata/>
| albedo = 0.224 (calculated)<ref name=VLT/><br />{{val|0.226|0.041}}<ref name=jpldata/>
| spectral_type = [[S-type asteroid|S]]<ref name=jpldata/>
| magnitude = 7.9<ref name="Pasachoff1983" /> to 11.6
| abs_magnitude = 6.54<ref name=VLT/><br>6.61<ref name=jpldata/>
| angular_size = 0.21" <!-- Horizons 2007-Nov-18 --> to 0.053"
}}

'''8 Flora''' is a large, bright [[Asteroid belt|main-belt]] [[asteroid]]. It is the innermost ''large'' asteroid: no asteroid closer to the Sun has a diameter above 25 kilometers (20% that of Flora), and not until 20-km [[149 Medusa]] was discovered was an asteroid known to orbit at a closer mean distance.<ref>Binsel, Richard P.; Gehrels, Tom and Matthews, Mildred Shapley (editors); ''Asteroids II''; published 1989 by University of Arizona Press; pp. 1038-1040. {{ISBN|0-8165-1123-3}}</ref> It is the seventh-brightest asteroid with a mean [[Opposition (astronomy)|opposition]] [[apparent magnitude|magnitude]] of +8.7.<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=JAS: The Brightest Asteroids |url=http://www.jas.org.jo/ast.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110825060222/http://www.jas.org.jo/ast.html |archive-date=25 August 2011 |access-date= }}</ref> Flora can reach a magnitude of +8.1 at a favorable opposition near [[perihelion]], such as occurred in November 2020 when it was {{Convert|0.88|AU|e6km LD|abbr=unit|lk=on}} from Earth.<ref name="Horizons2020"/>