8 Flora (flor'-a) is a large, bright Main belt asteroid. It is probably a mixture of silicate rock and nickel-iron metals.

It is the largest member of the Flora asteroid family , a remnant of a larger parent body that shattered in a violent collision.

It 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 personnification of the West wind), mother of Spring, and whose Greek equivalent is Chloris (who has her own asteroid, 410 Chloris).

External link

• "Announcement of discovery of Flora", MNRAS 8 (1848) 82