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 |
---|---|---|---|
There are no named minor planets in this number range |
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
149113 Stewartbushman | 2002 CK258 | Stewart Bushman (born 1973), senior engineer at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. He served as the Propulsion Lead for the New Horizons mission to Pluto. | JPL · 149113 |
149115 Lauriecantillo | 2002 CG271 | Laurie L. Cantillo (born 1958) served as the NASA Public Affairs Lead for the New Horizons mission to Pluto. | JPL · 149115 |
149157 Stephencarr | 2002 FN26 | Stephen S. Carr (born 1959) is a program manager at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. He served as the director of public events for the flyby encounter for the New Horizons mission to Pluto. | JPL · 149157 |
149160 Geojih | 2002 GE | Geojih is an open, friendly and amateur group of geocaching fans in České Budějovice. They started geocaching activities in 2008 and have prepared many smart geocaches and amazing geocaching events up to now. A series of seven geocoins devoted to south Bohemian districts was also issued. | JPL · 149160 |
149163 Stevenconard | 2002 GF31 | Steven J. Conard (born 1959) is an optical engineer at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. He served as the Lead Instrument Engineer for the LORRI instrument for the New Horizons mission to Pluto. | JPL · 149163 |
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
149243 Dorothynorton | 2002 RL239 | Dorothy S. Norton (born 1945), scientific illustrator specializing in astronomy, geology and paleontology | JPL · 149243 |
149244 Kriegh | 2002 RZ240 | James D. Kriegh (1928–2007), American civil engineering professor and meteorite hunter | JPL · 149244 |
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 |
---|---|---|---|
149528 Simónrodríguez | 2003 FD129 | Simón Rodríguez (1769–1854) Venezuelan pedagogue and philosopher, teacher and mentor of Simón Bolivar, The Liberator | JPL · 149528 |
149573 Mamorudoi | 2003 YK180 | Mamoru Doi (born 1964), Japanese astronomer with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey | JPL · 149573 |
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 |
---|---|---|---|
149728 Klostermann | 2004 KR1 | Karel Klostermann (1848–1923), Czech and Austrian novelist and writer of short stories | JPL · 149728 |
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
149865 Michelhernandez | 2005 QS88 | Michel Hernandez (born 1970), French amateur astronomer and expert in spectroscopy | JPL · 149865 |
149884 Radebeul | 2005 RD9 | The German town of Radebeul, Saxony, location of the Radebeul Observatory ( A72 ), where this minor planet was discovered | JPL · 149884 |
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
149951 Hildakowalski | 2005 TL14 | Hildegard Kowalski (born 1927), mother of one of the uncredited discoverers with the Catalina Sky Survey (presumably Richard Kowalski). | MPC · 149951 |
149952 Susanhamann | 2005 TK15 | Susan Hamann (born 1953) has spent her career advancing medical technology and working on bringing these lifesaving technologies to both emergency and everyday usage. | JPL · 149952 |
149955 Maron | 2005 TK49 | Marion Lorenz (born 1967), wife of the discoverer Joachim Lorenz and a committed teacher of sports and geography. Maron is her childhood nickname. | JPL · 149955 |
149968 Trondal | 2005 TF152 | Odd Trondal (born 1951), a member of the Norwegian Astronomical Society since 1968, was elected a Member of Honour in 2003 | JPL · 149968 |