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 |
---|---|---|---|
84011 Jean-Claude | 2002 OB25 | Jean-Claude Pelle (born 1942), a French amateur astronomer and discoverer of minor planets | JPL · 84011 |
84012 Deluise | 2002 PR | Fiore De Luise (born 1977), an Italian astronomer and discoverer of minor planets at the University of Rome who has collaborated with the CINEOS program | JPL · 84012 |
84015 Efthymiopoulos | 2002 PV34 | Christos Efthymiopoulos (born 1971) is Research Director at the Research Center for Astronomy of the Academy of Athens, and teaches Dynamical Astronomy at the Physics Department of the University of Athens. | JPL · 84015 |
84075 Peterpatricia | 2002 PL165 | Peter M. Lowe (born 1933) and Patricia Lowe (born 1935), parents of the Canadian amateur astronomer Andrew Lowe who discovered this minor planet | JPL · 84075 |
84095 Davidjohn | 2002 QV48 | David John Matson (born 1937), father of American astronomer Robert Matson who discovered this minor planet | JPL · 84095 |
84096 Reginaldglenice | 2002 QD58 | Reginald J. Harding (born 1932) and Glenice E. Harding (born 1931), parents-in-law of the discoverer Andrew Lowe | JPL · 84096 |
84100 Farnocchia | 2002 RP8 | Davide Farnocchia (born 1984), a mathematician and celestial mechanic at the University of Pisa | JPL · 84100 |
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
84118 Bracalicioci | 2002 RE26 | Davide Bracali Cioci (born 1986), a celestial mechanician who graduated from the University of Pisa. | JPL · 84118 |
84119 Sanitariitaliani | 2002 RF26 | All doctors, nurses and everyone else in the Italian healthcare system (Sanitari Italiani) who played an essential role in the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy | IAU · 84119 |
84120 Antonacci | 2002 RY27 | Domenico Antonacci (born 1969), who has been involved in astronomy outreach for several years. He has been a pioneer for disabled people, in particular the blind. He founded the Associazione Cascinese Astrofili, and has been one of the founders and communicators at the astronomical observatory of Libbiano (PI), Italy. | JPL · 84120 |
84200 Robertmoore | 2002 RM122 | Robert Moore (born 1923), American space engineer who worked on the Mercury program, Titan missiles, Fleetsatcom and the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System | JPL · 84200 |
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
84224 Kyte | 2002 RB233 | Frank Kyte (born 1949), American geochemist and meteoriticist who studies the component of distal impact deposits of meteorites | JPL · 84224 |
84225 Verish | 2002 RO236 | Robert S. Verish (born 1947), an American meteor observer and meteorite hunter. He has found over 100 meteorites in California, Nevada and Arizona, including the "Los Angeles" Shergottite – the fourteenth recognized meteorite from Mars (also see Novato meteorite). | MPC · 84225 |
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
84339 Francescaballi | 2002 TR57 | Francesca Balli (born 1969) fiancée of the discoverer Fabrizio Bernardi. She has been a lawyer since 1999 and is presently a civil and commercial mediator. | JPL · 84339 |
84340 Jos | 2002 TO58 | Jos Dianovich Claerbout (1974–1999), beloved son of Jon and Diane Claerbout, was an American writer, web engineer, film producer, and creator of magnificent hats. Src | JPL · 84340 |
84342 Rubensdeazevedo | 2002 TP64 | Rubens de Azevedo (1921–2008) was a Brazilian astronomer and science promoter. He founded observatories and associations, including the Brazilian Society of Astronomy Friends, the first amateur astronomical association in Brazil. He was a selenographer and active participant in NASA's Lunar International Observers Network. | IAU · 84342 |
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
84417 Ritabo | 2002 TE202 | Rita Boles, wife of Scottish amateur astronomer and discoverer of this minor planet, Tom Boles | JPL · 84417 |
84447 Jeffkanipe | 2002 TU240 | Jeff Kanipe (born 1953), an American astronomical author and editor, who became interested in a spike extending out of the image of Arp 192 = NGC 3303 while working on a publication for the fortieth anniversary of Arp's Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies. This led to its recognition in 2009 as a prediscovery trail of this minor planet on 19 February 1964. | JPL · 84447 |
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
84566 VIMS | 2002 VS9 | The Visible and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) on board the Cassini–Huygens spacecraft studied the Saturnian system for 13 years (2004–2017). It provided data to determine the composition, temperatures and structures of surfaces, rings and atmospheres. | JPL · 84566 |
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 |
---|---|---|---|
There are no named minor planets in this number range |
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
84882 Table Mountain | 2003 CN16 | The site of the Table Mountain Observatory in California was developed by the Smithsonian Institution in 1924 to conduct studies of the solar constant. In 1958 the Jet Propulsion Laboratory began solar panel tests at this site, now a NASA facility where atmospheric study groups and optical astronomy conduct daily science year round. | JPL · 84882 |
84884 Dorismcmillan | 2003 FS20 | Doris McMillan (1909–1999) of San Benito, Texas, was a science educator with Cranbrook Institute of Science in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, in the 1960s and influential to many amateur and professional astronomers, space scientists and educators. | JPL · 84884 |
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
84902 Porrentruy | 2003 UU11 | The village of Porrentruy in Switzerland | JPL · 84902 |
84919 Karinthy | 2003 VH | Frigyes Karinthy (1887–1938) was a Hungarian author, playwright, poet, journalist and translator. His sense of humor and criticism already appeared in his early diaries. He started his writing career as a journalist and remained a writer of short, humorous blurbs until his death. He is one of the most popular Hungarian writers | JPL · 84919 |
84921 Morkoláb | 2003 VN1 | The Morkoláb (or Markolaáb), Hungarian mythical animal that eats the Sun or Moon during an eclipse; this object was discovered during a total lunar eclipse | JPL · 84921 |
84926 Marywalker | 2003 WR3 | Mary Walker (born 1960), the Instrument Systems Manager for the OSIRIS-REx Mission. | JPL · 84926 |
84928 Oliversacks | 2003 WE13 | Oliver Sacks (1933–2015), a British neurologist and author. His descriptions of people confronting neurological challenges such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's, together with his books about the brain, botany, chemistry and music, have inspired generations of doctors, patients and readers around the world. | JPL · 84928 |
84943 Timothylinn | 2003 WC148 | Timothy Linn (born 1970), the Systems Engineering Manager for the OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission. | JPL · 84943 |
84945 Solosky | 2003 WP153 | Phil Solosky (born 1945) and Sueko Solosky (born 1950) Solosky were active members of the Sunset Astronomical Society in Michigan in the 1970s. | JPL · 84945 |
84951 Kenwilson | 2003 XX4 | Kenneth Dale Wilson (born 1954) is the former planetarium director with the Virginia Museum of Natural Sciences and a co-author of several books on amateur astronomy | JPL · 84951 |
84991 Bettyphilpotts | 2003 YM94 | Betty Philpotts Wilson (born 1958) is a board member of the Richmond Astronomical Society and was their first female President. | JPL · 84991 |
84994 Amysimon | 2003 YW106 | Amy Simon (born 1971), the Deputy Instrument Scientist for the OVIRS instrument on OSIRIS-REx | JPL · 84994 |
84995 Zselic | 2003 YB108 | Zselic, one of Hungary's most beautiful wooded regions. A Starry Sky Park is being set up in the area. | JPL · 84995 |
84996 Hortobágy | 2003 YW110 | Hortobágy National Park, an 800-square-km national park in eastern Hungary. | JPL · 84996 |