(8603) Senator

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( 8603 ) is a Senator of the inner main belt asteroid, which was discovered on 16 October 1977 by the Dutch astronomer Cornelis Johannes van Houten couple and Ingrid van Houten - Groeneveld. The discovery happened at the 3rd trojan screening, in which the 120 - cm Oschin Schmidt telescope of the Palomar Observatory recorded by Tom Gehrels field plates at Leiden University were screened, 17 years after the beginning of the Palomar - Leiden Surveys.

( 8603 ) Senator is named after the Rotkopfwürger whose scientific name Lanius senator is. At the time of designation of the asteroid on February 2, 1999, the Rotkopfwürger was on the Dutch and European Red List of endangered bird species.