45 Eugenia

Asteroid 45 Eugenia, discovered on June 27, 1857, by the French astronomers Hermann Goldschmidt and Prosper Henry, is a notable member of the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Named after Eugenia, Empress of the French, this asteroid stands out due to its unique features, particularly being a triple asteroid system. Eugenia has an estimated diameter of approximately 215 kilometers (134 miles) and orbits the Sun at an average distance of about 392 million kilometers (244 million miles), completing its orbit in approximately 5.5 Earth years. What sets Eugenia apart is its status as a triple system, comprising a primary asteroid orbited by two smaller moons, Petit-Prince and S/2004 (45) 1. This makes Eugenia one of the few known triple systems in the asteroid belt, providing scientists with an opportunity to study such complex formations.