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 |
---|---|---|---|
70030 Margaretmiller | 1999 CZ1 | Margaret Joan Miller (born 1956), wife of American astronomer Brian Warner who discovered this minor planet. A graduate of Indiana University, she is an accomplished violist who, as a member of the DaVinci Quartet, was a prize winner in two major international competitions. She now devotes her time to teaching viola and violin to students of all ages (Src). | JPL · 70030 |
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
70179 Beppechiara | 1999 QQ1 | Giuseppe Brenna (born 1952) and his wife Chiara Martinoni (born 1953), two Swiss alpinists who live in a small village in the Verzasca valley in the canton of Ticino. He has climbed to the top of all 630 mountains in Ticino of altitude greater than 2000 meters and has written several guides and books about Swiss mountains. | JPL · 70179 |
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
70207 Davidunlap | 1999 RP33 | David Alexander Dunlap (1863–1924), born in Pembroke, Ontario, a mining magnate, philanthropist and amateur astronomer, was the namesake of the David Dunlap Observatory, location of Canada's largest optical telescope, and where the first black-hole candidate Cygnus X-1 was discovered and confirmed. | JPL · 70207 |
70210 Cesarelombardi | 1999 RA37 | Cesare Lombardi (1900–1971) was a volunteer assistant at the Brera Astronomical Observatory in Milan from 1930, where he devoted himself to the observation and calculation of orbits of minor planets. From 1930 to 1941 and from 1949 to 1971 he was director of the Hoepli planetarium in Milan. | JPL · 70210 |
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 |
---|---|---|---|
70401 Davidbishop | 1999 RH241 | David Bishop (born 1961) is an engineer who works with cutting-edge CMOS and other imaging technology. For many years he has donated his time and tirelessly maintained the only webpage that provides up-to-date reports and images of all supernova discoveries. This is used daily by hundreds of astronomers. | JPL · 70401 |
70409 Srnín | 1999 SR2 | The Czech village of Srnín is situated at the foot of Kleť mountain. It was founded by Zlatá Koruna monastery and first mentioned in 1400. | JPL · 70409 |
70418 Kholopov | 1999 SD12 | P. N. Kholopov (1922–1988) was the astronomer editor-in-chief of the first three volumes of the fourth edition of the General Catalogue of Variable Stars. | JPL · 70418 |
70444 Genovali | 1999 TX11 | Katia Genovali (born 1978) is a young astrophysicist who works on cataclysmic and symbiotic variables at the University of Pisa. Apart from her astrophysical work she is very active in the public understanding of science and astronomy. | JPL · 70444 |
70446 Pugh | 1999 TY13 | George Pugh (1926–), American physicist, first to propose (in 1959), a test of general relativity's frame dragging via a combination telescope/gyroscope in a drag-free satellite: Gravity Probe B (2004). | JPL · 70446 |
70449 Gruebel | 1999 TK17 | Robert W. Gruebel (1924–2016) was a professor of physics at Stephen F. Austin State University, and a mentor, colleague and friend of the discoverer. (The minor planet was discovered at the university's observatory.) | JPL · 70449 |
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 |
---|---|---|---|
70679 Urzidil | 1999 UV3 | Johannes Urzidil, Czech-German writer, poet and journalist † ‡ | MPC · 70679 |
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
70710 Chuckfellows | 1999 UE44 | Charles Fellows (born 1962), the Project Manager for the OSIRIS-REx Camera Suite. He was also the Lead and Systems Engineer for the Mars Odyssey Gamma Ray Spectrometer, the Thermal Evolved Gas Analyzer on the Phoenix Mars Lander, and was a team member for the DISR instrument that flew on the Cassini mission. | JPL · 70710 |
70711 Arlinbartels | 1999 UU44 | Arlin Bartels (born 1965), the Flight System Manager for the OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission. Prior to serving in the role, he was the MLA Instrument Manager for MESSENGER, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Instrument Systems Manager, and the JPSS Deputy Project Manager. | JPL · 70711 |
70712 Danieljoanna | 1999 UW45 | Daniel Rose (born 1929) and Joanna Rose (born 1930) had the vision to support "Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, through their philanthropic interest in social justice, education, science literacy, and the health and wealth of the human species," becoming an acclaimed 13-part TV series, airing in 45 languages and 180 countries. | JPL · 70712 |
70713 Sethmacfarlane | 1999 UL46 | Seth MacFarlane (born 1973) writer, actor, and producer, is a founding member of the Board of Advisors to the Science and Entertainment Exchange, a Los Angeles branch office of the National Academy of Sciences. He would later serve as an Executive Producer of the 2014, 13-part TV series "Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey" | JPL · 70713 |
70714 Rizk | 1999 UX47 | Bashar Rizk (born 1959) is the Instrument Scientist for the OSIRIS-REx Camera Suite (OCAMS). He was also a Co-Investigator, Image Team Leader, Senior Data Analyst, and Systems and Calibration Engineer for the Descent Imager Spectral Radiometer (DISR) instrument that took the first images of the surface of Titan. | JPL · 70714 |
70715 Allancheuvront | 1999 UP49 | Allan Cheuvront (born 1950) is the Ground System Test Lead for the OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission. Prior to serving in this role, he was the Mission Operations Manager for OSIRIS-REx, as well as the Stardust comet sample return mission, and a flight team member on the Magellan mission to Venus. | JPL · 70715 |
70716 Mehall | 1999 UF50 | Greg Mehall (born 1963), Project Engineer for the Thermal Emission Spectrometer flying on the OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission. He was also instrument manager, systems engineer, and mission manager for the Mars Global Surveyor TES, Mars Odyssey THEMIS, and Mars Exploration Rovers Mini-TES instruments. | JPL · 70716 |
70718 HEAF | 1999 UY51 | The Harlem Educational Activities Fund (HEAF) provides nurturing, educational opportunities for motivated students who are otherwise underserved in their home or community. Founded in 1989 by philanthropist Daniel Rose, HEAF measures its success by the stellar college and graduate school admission rates it fosters. | JPL · 70718 |
70720 Davidskillman | 1999 UB53 | David R. Skillman (born 1945) for his decades-long contributions to asteroid searching, stellar binary star systems and as lead systems engineer for the Hubble Space Telescope at Goddard Space Flight Center. | JPL · 70720 |
70728 Gal-Edd | 1999 VA4 | Jonathan Gal-Edd (born 1954) is the Ground Systems Manager for the OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission. He was also the Ground System Chief Engineer for the Landsat Data Continuity Mission, and the Ground Segment Mission Engineering Manager for the James Webb Space Telescope. | JPL · 70728 |
70737 Stenflo | 1999 VA11 | Jan Olof Stenflo (born 1942) a Swedish-Swiss astronomer, served as director of the Institute of Astronomy, ETH Zurich, during 1980–2006, after a lectureship at Lund University. His scientific work included contributions to the study of polarized light and solar magnetic fields. He supported the establishment of the Istituto Ricerche Solari Locarno. | JPL · 70737 |
70744 Maffucci | 1999 VW20 | Paolo Maffucci (born 1936) is an amateur astronomer at San Marcello Pistoiese who is particularly interested in promoting astronomy. | JPL · 70744 |
70745 Aleserpieri | 1999 VZ20 | Alessandro Serpieri (1823–1885) was an Italian astronomer and teacher of mathematics and physics. He determined the Perseid radiant and studied the solar eclipse of 1870 Dec. 22. He also analyzed the Italian earthquakes of 1872 and 1875. | JPL · 70745 |
70781 Donnelly | 1999 VR43 | Michael Donnelly (born 1961), the Project Manager for the OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission. Prior to serving in this role, he was the First Servicing Mission Systems Manager for the Hubble Space Telescope, the AQUA Spacecraft Manager, and the GOES-R Project Manager. | JPL · 70781 |
70782 Vinceelliott | 1999 VS43 | Vincent Elliott (born 1970) is the Deputy Project Manager for Resources for the OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission. Prior to serving in this role, he was the Deputy Project Manager for Resources for the Hubble Space Telescope and the NASA Astrophysics Projects Division Program Business Manager. | JPL · 70782 |
70783 Kenwilliams | 1999 VK44 | Kenneth Williams (born 1956) is a member of the navigation team at KinetX, Inc. for the OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission. He was the Navigation Team Chief for the MESSENGER orbiter and the Stardust Missions, the Lead Maneuver Analyst for the Genesis mission, and a Mission Planner for the Cassini mission. | JPL · 70783 |
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
70850 Schur | 1999 VU113 | Chris Schur (born 1958) and Dawn Schur (born 1960), American amateur astronomers and amateur paleontologists living in Payson, Arizona. Their astrophotography at their home observatory is of the highest quality and the analysis and cataloging of fossils posted on their extensive website, is quite professional. | JPL · 70850 |
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
70936 Kámen | 1999 WK1 | The Czech Kámen Castle , is an originally Gothic castle in southern Bohemia near the town of Pacov, first mentioned in the fourteenth century. In the nineteenth century the castle was reconstructed in the English Romantic Gothic style. There is a motorcycle museum there now (Src). | JPL · 70936 |
70942 Vandanashiva | 1999 WV8 | Vandana Shiva (born 1952) is an Indian environmental activist. In 1993 she received the Right Livelihood Award "for placing women and ecology at the heart of modern development discourse" | JPL · 70942 |
70995 Mikemorton | 1999 XV35 | Michael Morton (1959–1999) was the consummate amateur astronomer, George Observatory volunteer and friend. The continuing success of the Texan observatory is directly related to his knowledge, skills, hard work and dedication. Mike was also a beloved member of the Fort Bend Astronomy Club. | JPL · 70995 |
71000 Hughdowns | 1999 XD37 | Hugh Downs (1921-2020), an American television pioneer, program host, journalist and prolific author. He is also a board of governors member of the National Space Society and was a longtime president and chairman of the predecessor National Space Society. The name was suggested by M. Trueblood. | JPL · 71000 |