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]
78001–78100
| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78071 Vicent | 2002 LT6 | Francesc Vicent (1450–1512), Spanish author of Libre dels jochs partits dels schacs en nombre de 100 which established the modern rules of Chess in Spain | MPC · 78071 |
78101–78200
| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78115 Skiantonucci | 2002 MT4 | Robert "Ski" Antonucci (born 1954), an astrophysicist at the University of California Santa Barbara, working on extragalactic astrophysics. | JPL · 78115 |
| 78118 Bharat | 2002 NT | Bhārat Gaṇarājya is the native name of the Republic of India, derived from the wise and pious King Bharata of ancient Hindu mythology. India is the discoverer's motherland. | JPL · 78118 |
| 78123 Dimare | 2002 NQ5 | Linda Dimare (born 1981), a researcher in celestial mechanics, mainly involved in the development of new algorithms and software for solar system dynamics. | JPL · 78123 |
| 78124 Cicalò | 2002 NH6 | Stefano Cicalò (born 1982) is a researcher in celestial mechanics, mainly involved in the development of new advanced algorithms and software for the complex dynamics of the radio science experiment of the ESA Bepi Colombo Mission to Mercury and the NASA JUNO mission to Jupiter. | JPL · 78124 |
| 78125 Salimbeni | 2002 NU6 | Sara Salimbeni (born 1977), an Italian astronomer who has obtained her degree in physics at "La Sapienza" University of Rome in 2003, with a thesis on the cosmological evolution of the deep field galaxy luminosity function. As a Ph.D. student at the University of Rome at Tor Vergata, she is continuing her studies of galaxies and structures evolution. | JPL · 78125 |
78201–78300
| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78221 Leonmow | 2002 OP7 | Leon Mow (1919–2002) was an Australian philanthropist with a great interest in astronomy. In 1990 he donated the Leon Mow Dark Sky Site (an observation site) to the Astronomical Society of Victoria (ASV), so that others could share in his passion. The ASV holds a number of public star parties there each year. | JPL · 78221 |
| 78249 Capaccioni | 2002 PK6 | Fabrizio Capaccioni (born 1957), an Italian astronomer who has studied the electromagnetic effects associated with impact craterization. He currently works on planetary research, with an emphasis on the study of the surface composition of solar-system bodies by means of reflectance spectroscopy techniques. | JPL · 78249 |
| 78252 Priscio | 2002 PF11 | Priscilla Cerroni (born 1955), an Italian astronomer who works on experiments involving hypervelocity impacts and implications for the study of catastrophic collisions involving minor planets. She is currently a researcher at the Italian INAF-IASF and a team member of VIMS, the imaging spectrometer on board the Cassini mission. | JPL · 78252 |
78301–78400
| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78309 Alessielisa | 2002 PV65 | Elisa Maria Alessi (born 1981) has worked for several years in the fields of space debris dynamics, orbit determination for interplanetary missions, and trajectory design in planet-satellite systems. | JPL · 78309 |
| 78310 Spoto | 2002 PW65 | Federica Spoto (born 1985) has worked in the field of Solar System dynamics. In particular, she is involved in the Impact Monitoring computation and research at NEODyS and AstDyS. | JPL · 78310 |
| 78383 Philmassey | 2002 PM137 | Philip Massey (born 1952), an astronomer at Lowell Observatory. | JPL · 78383 |
| 78386 Deuzelur | 2002 PF155 | German Aerospace Center (German: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; also known as "DLR"), is Germany's national center for aerospace, energy and transportation research. It was formed in 1969. | IAU · 78386 |
| 78391 Michaeljäger | 2002 PT163 | Michael Jäger (born 1958), Austrian amateur astronomer and prolific astrophotographer of comets (Src) | JPL · 78391 |
| 78392 Dellinger | 2002 PM165 | Joseph A. Dellinger (born 1961), American geophysicist and amateur astronomer with the Fort Bend Astronomy Club (FBAC) in Texas. He is a prolific discoverer of minor planets. | JPL · 78392 |
| 78393 Dillon | 2002 PW165 | William G. Dillon (born 1957), American geophysicist and amateur astronomer with the Fort Bend Astronomy Club (FBAC) in Texas. He is a prolific discoverer of minor planets. | MPC · 78393 |
| 78394 Garossino | 2002 PB166 | Paul Garossino (born 1953), Canadian geophysicist amateur astronomer and a discoverer of minor planets | MPC · 78394 |
78401–78500
| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78429 Baschek | 2002 QN48 | Bodo Baschek (born 1935), is a German astrophysicist is professor emeritus of the Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics at the Ruprecht Karls University of Heidelberg. He contributed to the field of radiation transport with the continuation of Albrecht Unsöld's work. His book The New Cosmos is standard literature for astronomy students. | JPL · 78429 |
| 78430 Andrewpearce | 2002 QX48 | Andrew Pearce (born 1966), Australian amateur astronomer, significant contributor to the International Comet Quarterly | JPL · 78430 |
| 78431 Kemble | 2002 QJ50 | Lucian J. Kemble (1922–1999), Canadian Franciscan Father and amateur astronomer, discoverer of Kemble's Cascade | MPC · 78431 |
| 78432 Helensailer | 2002 QR50 | Helen R. Sailer (1918–2019), member of the international women's flying organization, The Ninety-Nines, and great-aunt of the discoverer Robert D. Matson (Src, Src) | JPL · 78432 |
| 78433 Gertrudolf | 2002 QF56 | Gertrud and Rudolf Hönig, grandparents of German astronomer Sebastian F. Hönig who discovered this minor planet | JPL · 78433 |
| 78434 Dyer | 2002 QL58 | Alan Dyer (born 1953), Canadian astronomy writer and astrophotographer | JPL · 78434 |
| 78453 Bullock | 2002 RD26 | Sandra Bullock (born 1964), an American actress and producer | JPL · 78453 |
78501–78600
| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78534 Renmir | 2002 RB109 | Renato Bernardi (born 1946) and Mirella Ceccato (born 1946), the parents of co-discoverer Fabrizio Bernardi | JPL · 78534 |
| 78535 Carloconti | 2002 RC109 | Carlo Conti (born 1961), a popular Italian showman. | JPL · 78535 |
| 78536 Shrbený | 2002 RV111 | Lukáš Shrbený (born 1981), an astronomer at the Astronomical Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. | JPL · 78536 |
| 78577 JPL | 2002 RG232 | The NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is managed by the California Institute of Technology. JPL is the hub of U.S. uncrewed spacecraft solar system exploration, with visits to the sun, eight planets and their satellites, four minor planets and two comets. It has also established a permanent presence around Mars. | JPL · 78577 |
| 78578 Donpettit | 2002 RM233 | Donald Pettit (born 1955), American astronaut who flew on STS-113 to the International Space Station, where he spent over 5{frac|1|2} months as science officer on Expedition 6. An avid amateur astronomer, Pettit recorded dozens of astrophotographs from ISS, most notably numerous 30-second and 60-second exposures of 4 Vesta. | JPL · 78578 |
78601–78700
| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78652 Quero | 2002 TG62 | The town of Quero in northern Italy | JPL · 78652 |
| 78661 Castelfranco | 2002 TW85 | The town of Castelfranco Veneto in northern Italy | JPL · 78661 |
78701–78800
| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78756 Sloan | 2002 TX349 | The Sloan Digital Sky Survey, an astronomical survey conducted in New Mexico, that uses a dedicated 2.5-meter telescope to image more than a quarter of the celestial sphere. It has catalogued over 300 million objects and obtained spectra of over a million galaxies, quasars and stars. | JPL · 78756 |
78801–78900
| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78816 Caripito | 2003 PZ9 | The city of Caripito, Venezuela, where the parents of the discoverer Joseph A. Dellinger met | JPL · 78816 |
| 78830 Simonadirubbo | 2003 QV24 | Simona Di Rubbo (born 1987) has been interested in astronomy since her childhood. She graduated in Aerospace Engineering in 2013 from the Polytechnic of Turin, Italy. In 2015 she joined the amateur astronomy association in the town of Benevento. Name proposed by A. Boattini and M. Tombelli. | JPL · 78830 |
| 78867 Isakowitz | 2003 QE81 | Matthew Isakowitz (1987–2017), an American aerospace engineer and contributor to the field of commercial spaceflight, known for the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, XPRIZE, and several newspace companies (obituary). | IAU · 78867 |
78901–79000
| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78905 Seanokeefe | 2003 SK85 | Sean O'Keefe (born 1956), former Administrator of NASA 2001–2004 | JPL · 78905 |
References
- ^ "WGSBN Bulletin Archive". Working Group Small Body Nomenclature. 14 May 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
- ^ "JPL – Solar System Dynamics: Discovery Circumstances". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
- ^ Schmadel, Lutz D. (2003). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
- ^ Schmadel, Lutz D. (2006). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – Addendum to Fifth Edition: 2003–2005. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. ISBN 978-3-540-34360-8. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
- ^ Herget, Paul (1968). The Names of the Minor Planets. Cincinnati, Ohio: Minor Planet Center, Cincinnati Observatory. OCLC 224288991.
- ^ "Guide to Minor Body Astrometry – When can I name my discovery?". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
- ^ "Minor Planet Naming Guidelines (Rules and Guidelines for naming non-cometary small Solar-System bodies) – v1.0" (PDF). Working Group Small Body Nomenclature (PDF). 20 December 2021.
This page was last edited on 12 November 2023, at 15:07