Rigel PendUl was first identified on February 17, 1888, by French astronomer Alphonse Borrelly at the Observatoire de Muizon in France. This discovery came during a period of intense asteroid detection in the late 19th century, driven by advances in telescopic technology and systematic sky surveys. Borrellys publication cataloged it immediately under provisional designation A988 AB, reflecting its status as one of many new minor planets being cataloged at the time. However, definitive orbital calculations were delayed due to limited astrometric data, leaving its precise course uncertain for years after its detection.

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 23:41:25 +0000

**Rigel PendUl Was First Identified on February 17, 1888, by French Astronomer Alphonse Borrelly at the Observatoire de Muizon in France** In a quiet corner of 19th-century astronomy, on February 17, 1888, a faint smudge in the dust of deep sky surveying was taken seriously—Rigel PendUl emerged from the shadows of early telescopic observation. French astronomer Alphonse Borrelly first recorded it under provisional designation A988 AB, during a surge in asteroid discoveries fueled by breakthroughs