Petit-Prince

Petit-Prince is one of the two known moons orbiting the asteroid 45 Eugenia, discovered on November 1, 1998, making it the first moon discovered around this asteroid. Named after the character "The Little Prince" from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's renowned novella, it holds an estimated diameter of about 13 × 8 × 8 kilometers, making it larger than its companion moon, S/2004 (45) 1. Petit-Prince's discovery was a significant milestone, shedding light on the complex satellite systems of asteroids and contributing crucial insights into their formation and dynamics. Its well-determined orbit around 45 Eugenia provides valuable data for understanding the gravitational interactions within this asteroid-moon system, aiding scientists in deciphering the properties and origins of both the asteroid and its accompanying moons.