Discovered 1853 May 5 by R. Luther at Düsseldorf.
Named after the daughter of Ceres {see planet (1)} and Jupiter, carried away by Pluto to become queen of the infernal regions. Her mother after a lengthy search was unable even with the aid of Jupiter to secure her daughter’s return to the upper regions since she had partaken of food in the Elysian fields — a pomegranate. A compromise was brought about whereby she spent half the year in the upper world. Proserpina presided over the death of mankind. See also the citation for planet (399) Persephone which is the Greek name for Proserpina. (H 5)
Named by “Sr. Excellenz dem wirklichen Geheimen Rath” Alexander von Humboldt (AN 36, 26 (1853)). The sign of the planet is “ein Granatapfel mit 
einem Stern im Innern.”
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© 2003 Springer-Verlag
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(2003). (26) Proserpina. In: Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_27
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_27
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