As minor planet discoveries are confirmed, they are given a permanent number by the IAU's Minor Planet Center (MPC), and the discoverers can then submit names for them, following the IAU's naming conventions. The list below concerns those minor planets in the specified number-range that have received names, and explains the meanings of those names.
Official naming citations of newly named small Solar System bodies are approved and published in a bulletin by IAU's Working Group for Small Bodies Nomenclature (WGSBN). [1] Before May 2021, citations were published in MPC's Minor Planet Circulars for many decades. [2] Recent citations can also be found on the JPL Small-Body Database (SBDB). [3] Until his death in 2016, German astronomer Lutz D. Schmadel compiled these citations into the Dictionary of Minor Planet Names (DMP) and regularly updated the collection. [4] [5]
Based on Paul Herget's The Names of the Minor Planets , [6] Schmadel also researched the unclear origin of numerous asteroids, most of which had been named prior to World War II. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain : SBDB New namings may only be added to this list below after official publication as the preannouncement of names is condemned. [7] The WGSBN publishes a comprehensive guideline for the naming rules of non-cometary small Solar System bodies. [8]
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
41030 Mariawomack | 1999 UQ46 | Maria Womack (born 1963) is a researcher at the Florida Space Institute at the University of Central Florida (Orlando, FL). She has served as a professor at multiple universities and a program director for the National Science Foundation. Her research includes studies of comets and active centaurs. | IAU · 41030 |
41049 Van Citters | 1999 VC9 | G. Wayne Van Citters, American astronomer | JPL · 41049 |
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
41107 Ropakov | 1999 VX72 | Ivan V. Ropakov, grandfather of the second discoverer | JPL · 41107 |
41184 Devogèle | 1999 VW199 | Maxime Devogèle (born 1989) is a postdoctoral associate at Lowell Observatory who received his Ph.D. in 2017 from the Universite de Liège and the Universite Côte d'Azur. His work includes measuring the polarimetric properties of near-Earth and Main Belt asteroids. | IAU · 41184 |
41199 Wakanaootaki | 1999 WC1 | Wakana Ootaki (born 1984) is a Japanese vocalist and original member of the musical group "Kalafina". She has also performed with "FictionJunction". | JPL · 41199 |
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
41206 Sciannameo | 1999 WG9 | Francesco Sciannameo (born 1941), Italian professor of general surgery, head physician of the Terni hospital, and amateur astronomer | JPL · 41206 |
41213 Mimoun | 1999 XG2 | Alain Mimoun (1921–2013) was a French long-distance runner, and marathon champion at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne. | JPL · 41213 |
41279 Trentman | 1999 XD95 | Richard Trentman (born 1939), American amateur astronomer and team member of the Powell Observatory Near-Earth-Object follow-up program | JPL · 41279 |
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
There are no named minor planets in this number range |
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
41450 Medkeff | 2000 LF15 | Jeff Medkeff, American designer of software for robotic operations of observatories, telescope control, data reduction and automatic submission of results to the Minor Planet Center † | MPC · 41450 |
41458 Ramanjooloo | 2000 NN14 | Yudish Ramanjooloo (born 1985) is a Junior Researcher at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu, USA. His main research interests include studying near-Earth objects, and the interaction between solar wind and the induced magnetosphere of comets, and exoplanets. | IAU · 41458 |
41481 Musashifuchu | 2000 QE35 | Fuchu is the name of the place where Kokuhu (the ancient Japanese provincial government office) was located. Fuchu City in Tokyo Metropolis has been called Musashi Fuchu, because it was the Kokuhu of the province of Musashi. Its name symbolizes the history and culture of the city. | JPL · 41481 |
41488 Sindbad | 2000 QE71 | Sindbad, legendary sailor from Baghdad whose numerous fantastic adventures are recounted in The Arabian Nights | JPL · 41488 |
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
41502 Denchukun | 2000 QK147 | Denchukun is the official mascot character of Ibara city, Okayama, Japan. Its name originates from Denchu Hirakushi, a sculptor born in Ibara. Its shape represents a star in the famous Kabuki play Kagami-Jishi. | JPL · 41502 |
41573 Miriamrobbins | 2000 RB99 | Miriam Robbins (b. 1971), an American Visitor Experience Manager for Lowell Observatory and past chapter president for the Museum Store Association. | IAU · 41573 |
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
41661 Heathercraig | 2000 SK369 | Heather Craig (b. 1995), the marketing operations specialist for Lowell Observatory and cofounder of Astronomy on Tap Flagstaff, U.S.A. | IAU · 41661 |
41671 Benhardesty | 2000 TF34 | Benjamin Hardesty (b. 1988), an Instrument Scientist at Lowell Observatory. | IAU · 41671 |
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
41740 Yuenkwokyung | 2000 VC | Yuen Kwok-yung (born 1956) is a Hong Kong microbiologist, physician and surgeon, with over 700 publications in peer-reviewed journals. During the global outbreak of SARS in 2003, he led his team in the discovery of the SARS coronavirus, being honored as "Asian heroes of the year" in the 2013 April issue of Time Asia. | JPL · 41740 |
41742 Wongkakui | 2000 VH3 | Wong Ka Kui (1962–1993) was a Hong Kong singer and songwriter, best known for being the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and main songwriter of the rock band Beyond, which he founded. | JPL · 41742 |
41795 Wiens | 2000 WN12 | Roger Wiens (born 1960) is deeply involved in space missions. He is the Principal Investigator behind ChemCam, a laser spectroscopy instrument on board the Mars Curiosity Rover. Name and citation provided by S. Le Mouelic. | JPL · 41795 |
41800 Robwilliams | 2000 WM19 | Robert A. Williams (b. 1942), American psychiatrist and author, director of the Biological Psychiatry Institute in Phoenix, Arizona | JPL · 41800 |
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
There are no named minor planets in this number range |
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
41907 Jonathanford | 2000 WF137 | Jonathan (Jon) Ford (b. 1959), a Senior Educator at Lowell Observatory. | IAU · 41907 |
41927 Bonal | 2000 WM166 | Lydie Bonal (born 1980) is a scientist at IPAG (Grenoble, France). She studies micrometeorites, mission samples, and Raman spectroscopy, with a focus on primitive matter, including organics, of planetary materials. | IAU · 41927 |
41943 Fredrick | 2000 XH2 | Richard Fredrick, American amateur astronomer and team member of the Powell Observatory Near-Earth-Object follow-up program | JPL · 41943 |
41979 Lelumacri | 2000 YK16 | Luca Pacciorini (born 1958), his partner Cristina Conedera (born 1965) and their two children, Letizia (born 2000) and Martino (born 2002), are friends of the discoverer. | JPL · 41979 |
41981 Yaobeina | 2000 YD21 | Yao Beina (1981–2015) was a talented and courageous Chinese singer who won numerous awards for the best Chinese pop song performance. One of Yao's famous songs, "Fire of the Heart", was about the reflections on her battle with breast cancer. She donated her corneas. | JPL · 41981 |
41986 Fort Bend | 2000 YR29 | Fort Bend Astronomy Club of Stafford, Texas, USA, several of whose members are asteroid discoverers (J. L. Casady, A. Cruz, P. Garossino, C. Gustava, A. Lowe, D. Wells) | JPL · 41986 |
41988 Emilyjoseph | 2000 YX30 | Emily C. S. Joseph (born 1988), an American planetary scientist and member of the VIMS instrument team for the Cassini–Huygens spaceprobe at the University of Arizona. As a public health researcher, she also took part in the university's COVID-19 response. | IAU · 41988 |