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]
63001–63100
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
63032 Billschmitt | 2000 WS62 | William C. Schmitt, science educator, museum administrator, curriculum developer and university instructor | JPL · 63032 |
63068 Moraes | 2000 WT123 | Wenceslau de Moraes, Portuguese writer | JPL · 63068 |
63101–63200
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
63129 Courtemanche | 2000 WH183 | Michel Courtemanche (born 1964), an internationally known Canadian comedian and actor from Quebec. | JPL · 63129 |
63145 Choemuseon | 2000 XY13 | Choe Museon (1325–1395), a Korean chemist in the late Koryeo Dynasty who was the first to study gunpowder in Korea. Gunpowder manufacturing became a highly advanced technology, into which he put enormous effort. His research helped the nation bring about political and social change. | JPL · 63145 |
63156 Yicheon | 2000 XQ44 | Yi Cheon (1376–1451) was a Korean polymath in charge of developing astronomical instruments. He also influenced metal printing, musical instruments and standardization of measurement systems. Great technological achievements in the Chosun Dynasty would be almost unthinkable without his contributions. | JPL · 63156 |
63162 Davidčapek | 2000 YE11 | David Čapek (born 1977), a Czech astronomer at the Astronomical Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences. He performs theoretical work on non-gravitational effects on small solar system bodies and on the thermal stress and rotation of meteoroids. | JPL · 63162 |
63163 Jerusalem | 2000 YR11 | Jerusalem, the ancient Middle Eastern city. Its unique position among cities of the world derives from its crucial role in religious history as a holy city for three great monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. | JPL · 63163 |
63201–63300
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
There are no named minor planets in this number range |
63301–63400
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
63305 Bobkepple | 2001 FE | George Robert Kepple (Bob Kepple), American author of the Astro Cards observing aids and co-author of The Night Sky Observer's Guide | JPL · 63305 |
63307 Barbarawilson | 2001 FG9 | Barbara Wilson (1947–2019) was an accomplished visual astronomer, mentor, Texas Star Party speaker chairman, and the director of the George Observatory for many years. She was a virtual "who's who" in amateur astronomy with an infectious love of the night sky, and was cited in many astronomy presentations. | IAU · 63307 |
63387 Brazos Bend | 2001 HC67 | Brazos Bend State Park, Texas, is the home to the George Observatory (735), where this minor planet was discovered. The Park is located on 4975 acres in Fort Bend County. One of America's top ten state parks, it is rich in wildlife, including the American alligator. | JPL · 63387 |
63389 Noshiro | 2001 JC1 | Noshiro City is located in the northwestern part of Akita Prefecture, Japan. Since the establishment of Noshiro Rocket Testing Center, static-firing tests on various solid rocket motors used for space science have been carried out there. | JPL · 63389 |
63401–63500
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
63440 Rożek | 2001 MD30 | Agata Rożek (born 1986) is a research associate at the University of Kent (UK) and performs optical and radar observations of near-Earth asteroids to determine their shapes and spin states and to search for evidence of non-gravitational forces acting upon them. | IAU · 63440 |
63498 Whitehead | 2001 OQ65 | Description available (see ref). Please summarize in your own words. | IAU · 63498 |
63501–63600
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
63528 Kocherhans | 2001 PX13 | Joseph G. Kocherhans (born 1929) participated extensively in the recovery of Badlands Observatory, South Dakota, after a tragic fire in 1998. As part of this effort he designed, fabricated and donated an ingenious system to automate dome control. Prior to this, he had an extensive and noteworthy career in geological and civil engineering. | JPL · 63528 |
63601–63700
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
63605 Budperry | 2001 QE68 | Bud Perry (born 1936) is the president of the Oakley Foundation which provided major funding for the construction of the Oakley Observatory were this minor planet was discovered. | JPL · 63605 |
63609 Francoisecolas | 2001 QY72 | Francoise Colas (born 1958) is a French amateur astronomer who has taken part in numerous trans-Neptunian stellar occultation observations all over the world. She is also part of the observation team at the Pic du Midi 1-m telescope. | JPL · 63609 |
63701–63800
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
There are no named minor planets in this number range |
63801–63900
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
63897 Ofunato | 2001 SM9 | Ofunato City is located on the south coast of Iwate Prefecture, Japan. Since the establishment of Sanriku Balloon Center in this city, a total of 413 heavy scientific balloons were launched until its closure in 2007. The center contributed greatly to the development of space science in Japan. | JPL · 63897 |
63901–64000
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
There are no named minor planets in this number range |
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.