Rafael Pacheco facts for kids

Rafael Pacheco Hernández (born in 1954 in Madrid, Spain) is a Spanish astronomer. He is famous for finding many asteroids, which are also called minor planets. He often worked with another astronomer named Álvaro López-García.

An asteroid was even named after him! It's called 25001 Pacheco.

Who is Rafael Pacheco?

Rafael Pacheco was born in Madrid, the capital city of Spain. He grew up to become an astronomer, which is a scientist who studies stars, planets, and other objects in space. He is known for his important work in discovering new space rocks.

Discovering Asteroids

Asteroids are like small, rocky worlds that orbit the Sun, just like planets do. Most of them are found in a special area between Mars and Jupiter called the asteroid belt. When astronomers find a new one, it's called a "minor planet."

Rafael Pacheco has discovered a lot of these minor planets – 57 of them! This is a huge achievement for an astronomer. He didn't always work alone; many of his discoveries were made with his fellow astronomer, Álvaro López-García.

Finding asteroids helps us learn more about our solar system. It tells us about the materials that were around when the planets first formed billions of years ago. Each new discovery adds another piece to the giant puzzle of space.

See also

In Spanish: Rafael Pacheco para niños