Asteroid Number 3456
Discovered September 5, 1985 by H. Debehogne at the European Southern Observatory.
In 1890 the French physiologist Etienne-Jules Marey (1830-1904) made the first use of celluloid roll film in movie photography. The name is derived from a suggestion by T. Wullin, who, as part of a minor-planet naming competition on the BBC Radio 4 program Word of Mouth, noted that 3456 = FILM on the keys of a telephone.
Page added and last updated 2/15/26.
Étienne-Jules Marey (1830–1904) was a French physiologist, inventor, and pioneer of scientific photography whose work laid crucial foundations for motion pictures, biomechanics, and modern sports science. By blending medicine, engineering, and visual technology, Marey transformed the study of movement into something that could be recorded, measured, and analyzed with precision.
Born in Beaune, France, Marey trained as a physician but quickly devoted himself to experimental physiology.
He became fascinated with how the body moves—how the heart beats, how muscles contract, and how animals walk or fly. In the 19th century, much of this activity was invisible to the naked eye. Marey’s genius lay in creating instruments that made movement measurable.
I drew the sigil for Etiennemarey.