Virginia is asteroid #50 and of the type X or the type Ch. Virginia’s orbit is characterized by a semi-major axis of 2.65 Astronomical Units, an eccentricity of 0.29, a period of revolution of 1 575 days, and an inclination of 2.8 degrees. Virginia is in an 11:4 mean motion resonance with the planet Jupiter. Virginia was discovered in October of 1857 by two astronomers independently from each other. The German astronomer Robert Luther in Düsseldorf discovered the asteroid on the 19th of October and was the first to announce the discovery. But the Scottish-born American astronomer James Ferguson at the United States Naval Observatory discovered the asteroid already on the 4th of October, so is meanwhile acknowledged as the discoverer of asteroid #50.

Why the asteroid Virginia is named this way seems to be forgotten. There are at least two theories. One is that Virginia is named after the since 1788 tenth state of the USA. The earlier Colony of Virginia included the territory of the later states Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Ohio. In the east of Virginia lived Pocahontas, so the asteroid Virginia would be of the same theme as the asteroid Pocahontas. The Potomac River is the border between the state Virginia and the District of Columbia, where the United States Naval Observatory is located. There isn’t any apparent connection to either of the discoverers with the state Virginia.

The other theory is that the asteroid #50 is named after the Roman girl Verginia, daughter of Lucius Verginius, a respected centurion, but the family was plebeian. Verginia was betrothed to Lucius Icilius. But in 451 B.C. the powerful Appius Claudius began to lust after Verginia, who was known for her beauty. Verginia rejected Appius Claudius. He then had one of his clients, Marcus Claudius, claim that Verginia was his slave and not the true daughter of Lucius Verginius. Marcus Claudius furthermore abducted Verginia. But Lucius Verginius as well as Lucius Icilius both were respected men, so the case was brought to the decemvirs. These were led by Appius Claudius. So the trial was a collusive game. All involved persons gathered supporters, but the supporters of Verginius shied back from violence after some threats and intrigues. Lucius Verginius finally saved his daughter’s virtue and freedom by stabbing her and killing her this way. Verginius and Icilius then both got arrested. Their supporters returned and overthrew the decemviri. The story got treated in literature in several versions. The girl is sometimes called Virginia and sometimes Verginia, but the person, who lived in ancient Rome, was named Verginia. So there again is no reason to give the name Virginia to the asteroid #50.

The state Virginia inherited its name from the Colony of Virginia, which got this name in honor of Elisabeth I, Queen of England and Ireland. She was the last of the five monarchs of the House of Tudor. She sometimes is referred to as the Virgin Queen. Hence the name Virginia for naming something in her honor. Because the asteroid #12 already was named Victoria and this by some people seen as honoring Queen Victoria, so Virginia could also directly honor Queen Elisabeth I. Then the asteroid Virginia would indicate the end of a dynasty. In particular if this end is due to the refusal to marry.