As minor planet discoveries are confirmed, "they are given a permanent number by," the: IAU's Minor Planet Center (MPC), and theββdiscoverers 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). Before May 2021, citations were published in MPC's Minor Planet Circulars for many decades. Recent citations can also be, found on the JPL Small-Body Database (SBDB). 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.
Based on Paul Herget's The Names of the Minor Planets, Schmadel also researched the unclear origin of numerous asteroids, most of which had been named priorββto World War II. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: SBDB New namings may only be addedββto this list below after official publication as the preannouncement of names is condemned. The WGSBN publishes a comprehensive guideline for the naming rules of non-cometary small Solar System bodies.
4001β4100β»
Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
---|---|---|---|
4001 Ptolemaeus | 1949 PV | Ptolemy (c. AD 100β170), Greek astronomer | MPC · 4001 |
4002 Shinagawa | 1950 JB | Seishi Shinagawa (born 1944), first to use electronic computers for orbit computation in Japan | MPC · 4002 |
4003 Schumann | 1964 ED | Robert Schumann (1810β1856), German composer | MPC · 4003 |
4004 ListΚΉev | 1971 SN1 | Vladislav Listyev (1956β1995), a Russian television journalist who was murdered | MPC · 4004 |
4005 Dyagilev | 1972 TC2 | Sergei Diaghilev (1872β1929), Russian impresario | MPC · 4005 |
4006 Sandler | 1972 YR | Grigori Sandler (1912β1994), a Russian musician | MPC · 4006 |
4007 Euryalos | 1973 SR | Euryalos, mythical Greek warrior | MPC · 4007 |
4008 Corbin | 1977 BY | Thomas E. Corbin, "American astronomer," and his wife Brenda Corbin, Librarian, both at the US Naval Observatory | MPC · 4008 |
4009 Drobyshevskij | 1977 EN1 | Edward Drobyshevski (1936β2012), Russian astro- and plasma physicist at Ioffe Institute in St. Petersburg | MPC · 4009 |
4010 NikolΚΉskij | 1977 QJ2 | Gennady Nikolsky (1929β1982), Soviet solar astronomer | MPC · 4010 |
4011 Bakharev | 1978 SC6 | Anatoly Bakharev (1918β1979), observer and "researcher on comets and meteors." He is one of the co-discoverers of near-parabolic comet C/1955 N1 (Bakharev-Macfarlane-Krienke) | MPC · 4011 |
4012 Geballe | 1978 VK9 | Tom Geballe (born 1944), American astronomer | MPC · 4012 |
4013 Ogiria | 1979 OM15 | Maiya Borisovna Ogir' (1933β1991), Russian solar physicist | MPC · 4013 |
4014 Heizman | 1979 SG10 | Leonie and Charles Heizman from San Juan Capistrano, California, who hosted the discoverer Nikolai Chernykh during the conference on Near Earth Asteroids in 1991 | MPC · 4014 |
4015 Wilson-Harrington | 1979 VA | American co-discoverers Albert G. Wilson (1918β2012) and Robert G. Harrington (1904β1987) | MPC · 4015 |
4016 Sambre | 1979 XK | The Sambre River, France and Belgium | MPC · 4016 |
4017 Disneya | 1980 DL5 | Walt Disney (1901β1966), American animator | MPC · 4017 |
4018 Bratislava | 1980 YM | Bratislava, capital city of Slovakia | MPC · 4018 |
4019 Klavetter | 1981 EK14 | James Jay Klavetter (1960β1997), professor of physics at California State University, Sacramento | MPC · 4019 |
4020 Dominique | 1981 ET38 | Dominique BockelΓ©e-Morvan (born 1957), researcher at the Paris Observatory, France | MPC · 4020 |
4021 Dancey | 1981 QD2 | Roy Dancey and Bruce D. Dancey, father and son, both Canadian designers of telescope mirrors | MPC · 4021 |
4022 Nonna | 1981 TL4 | Nonna Mordyukova (1925β2008), Soviet actress | MPC · 4022 |
4023 JarnΓk | 1981 UN | VojtΔch JarnΓk (1897β1970), Czech mathematician | MPC · 4023 |
4024 Ronan | 1981 WQ | Colin Ronan (1920β1995), author and writer on astronomy | MPC · 4024 |
4025 Ridley | 1981 WU | Harold B. Ridley, British astrophotographer | MPC · 4025 |
4026 Beet | 1982 BU1 | Ernest Agar Beet, teacher and amateur astronomer | MPC · 4026 |
4027 Mitton | 1982 DN | Simon Mitton (born 1946), British astronomer and author | MPC · 4027 |
4028 Pancratz | 1982 DV2 | Chris Pancratz (1950β2003), formerly of the National Space Society | MPC · 4028 |
4029 Bridges | 1982 KC1 | Patricia M. Bridges, planetary cartographer with the U.S. Geological Survey | MPC · 4029 |
4030 Archenhold | 1984 EO1 | Friedrich Simon Archenhold (1861β1939), a German astronomer and the first director the Archenhold Observatory in Berlin, who, in 1896, made it possible to build the world's longest refractor telescope with a focal length of 21 meters. The telescope was originally known as the Great Treptow Refractor. | MPC · 4030 |
4031 Mueller | 1985 CL | Jean Mueller (born 1950), American astronomer and discoverer of comets, minor planets, and supernovae. The first woman to operate the historic Hooker telescope at Mount Wilson Observatory, and was the first woman hired as a telescope operator at Palomar Observatory in 1985. | MPC · 4031 |
4032 Chaplygin | 1985 UT4 | Sergey Chaplygin (1869β1942), Russian and Soviet physicist and one of the founders of the aerodynamics | MPC · 4032 |
4033 Yatsugatake | 1986 FA | Mount Yatsugatake, one of Japan's 100 famous mountains | MPC · 4033 |
4034 Vishnu | 1986 PA | Vishnu is the Hindu god of preservation | JPL · 4034 |
4035 Thestor | 1986 WD | Thestor was a grandson of Apollo and the father of Kalchas. | IAU · 4035 |
4036 Whitehouse | 1987 DW5 | David Robert Whitehouse (born 1956), British science journalist and BBC Online's Science Editor, recipient of the European Internet Journalist of the Year award in 2002 | JPL · 4036 |
4037 Ikeya | 1987 EC | Kaoru Ikeya (born 1943), Japanese amateur astronomer | MPC · 4037 |
4038 Kristina | 1987 QH2 | Kristina Leterme, Dutch literature professor and partner of the discoverer | MPC · 4038 |
4039 Souseki | 1987 SH | Natsume SΕseki (1867β1916), Japanese novelist | MPC · 4039 |
4040 Purcell | 1987 SN1 | Henry Purcell (1659β1695), English composer | MPC · 4040 |
4041 Miyamotoyohko | 1988 DN1 | Yohko Miyamoto (born 1922) wife of Japanese astronomer, Yukio (or Sachio) Miyamoto | MPC · 4041 |
4042 Okhotsk | 1989 AT1 | Sea of Okhotsk, between Japan and Russia | MPC · 4042 |
4043 Perolof | 1175 T-3 | Per Olof Lindblad, Swedish astronomer, director of the Stockholm Observatory, and son of Bertil Lindblad (1895β1965) | MPC · 4043 |
4044 ErikhΓΈg | 5142 T-3 | Erik HΓΈg (born 1932), Danish astronomer at the Copenhagen Observatory | MPC · 4044 |
4045 Lowengrub | 1953 RG | Morton Lowengrub, American mathematician and forerunner of the WIYN Observatory at Kitt Peak, Arizona | MPC · 4045 |
4046 Swain | 1953 TV | Joseph Swain (1857β1927), professor of mathematics at and president of Indiana University | MPC · 4046 |
4047 Chang'E | 1964 TT2 | The Chinese moon goddess, Chang'e, and the Chinese lunar probe launched in 2007, initiating the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program | JPL · 4047 |
4048 Samwestfall | 1964 UC | Richard S. Westfall (1924β1996), American historian of science | MPC · 4048 |
4049 NoragalΚΉ | 1973 QD2 | Nora GalΚΉ (1912β1991), Soviet literary translator | MPC · 4049 |
4050 Mebailey | 1976 SF | Mark Edward Bailey, British astronomer | MPC · 4050 |
4051 Hatanaka | 1978 VP | Takeo Hatanaka (1914β1963), Japanese astronomer | MPC · 4051 |
4052 Crovisier | 1981 DP2 | Jacques Crovisier (born 1948), French astronomer | MPC · 4052 |
4053 Cherkasov | 1981 TQ1 | Nikolay Cherkasov (1903β1966), Soviet actor | MPC · 4053 |
4054 Turnov | 1983 TL | Turnov, Czech Republic | MPC · 4054 |
4055 Magellan | 1985 DO2 | Ferdinand Magellan (c. 1480β1521), Portuguese explorer | MPC · 4055 |
4056 Timwarner | 1985 FZ1 | Timothy Warner (1961β1990), chief mission planner for the Diffuse Infrared Background Experiment | MPC · 4056 |
4057 Demophon | 1985 TQ | Demophon, mythical king of Athens | MPC · 4057 |
4058 Cecilgreen | 1986 JV | Cecil Howard Green (1900β2003), British geophysicist, co-founder of Texas Instruments and philanthropist extraordinary | MPC · 4058 |
4059 Balder | 1987 SB5 | Balder, Norse god | MPC · 4059 |
4060 Deipylos | 1987 YT1 | Deipylos, mythical Greek hero | MPC · 4060 |
4061 Martelli | 1988 FF3 | Giuseppe Martelli, Italian architect and engineer | MPC · 4061 |
4062 Schiaparelli | 1989 BF | Giovanni Schiaparelli (1835β1910), Italian astronomer best known for his telescopic observations of Mars | MPC · 4062 |
4063 Euforbo | 1989 CG2 | Euphorbus (Euforbo), the Greek hero of the Trojan War, who wounded Patroclus in the breast before being killed by Hektor. | MPC · 4063 |
4064 Marjorie | 2126 P-L | Marjorie Meinel (1922β2008), American astronomer | MPC · 4064 |
4065 Meinel | 2820 P-L | Aden Meinel (1922β2011), American astronomer | MPC · 4065 |
4066 Haapavesi | 1940 RG | Haapavesi, Finland, birthplace of the discoverer's father | MPC · 4066 |
4067 MikhelΚΉson | 1966 TP | Nikolaj MikhelΚΉson (born 1918), outstanding Soviet scientist and optician of telescopes | MPC · 4067 |
4068 Menestheus | 1973 SW | Menestheus, mythical king of Athens | MPC · 4068 |
4069 Blakee | 1978 VL7 | Lawrence E. Blakee, observatory assistant | MPC · 4069 |
4070 Rozov | 1980 RS2 | Victor Sergeevich Rozov (born 1913), Russian playwright | MPC · 4070 |
4071 Rostovdon | 1981 RD2 | Rostov-on-Don, Russia, the discoverer's birthplace | MPC · 4071 |
4072 Yayoi | 1981 UJ4 | Yayoi period in prehistoric Japan from 300 BCβ300 AD during the Iron Age | MPC · 4072 |
4073 Ruianzhongxue | 1981 UE10 | Ruianzhongxue (Ruian Middle School), Zhejiang, China, 110-year-old school of mathematics | JPL · 4073 |
4074 Sharkov | 1981 UN11 | Viktor Sharkov (born 1935), an experimental astrophysicist at Ioffe Institute in St Petersburg, Russia | MPC · 4074 |
4075 Sviridov | 1982 TL1 | Georgy Sviridov (1915β1998), Russian composer | MPC · 4075 |
4076 DΓΆrffel | 1982 UF4 | Georg Samuel DΓΆrffel (1643β1688), German pastor and astronomer | MPC · 4076 |
4077 Asuka | 1982 XV1 | Asuka period, from 6th century to 8th in Japan | MPC · 4077 |
4078 Polakis | 1983 AC | Thomas A. Polakis (born 1961), an American mechanical engineer, friend of the discoverer Brian A. Skiff, and amateur astronomer at the Command Module Observatory (V02) in Arizona (Src, Src). | MPC · 4078 |
4079 Britten | 1983 CS | Benjamin Britten (1913β1976), Baron Britten, British composer | MPC · 4079 |
4080 Galinskij | 1983 PW | Nikolaj Galinskij, Soviet radio engineer | MPC · 4080 |
4081 Tippett | 1983 RC2 | Michael Tippett (1905β1998), British composer | MPC · 4081 |
4082 Swann | 1984 SW3 | Gordon A. Swann, American geologist, principal investigator for the geological field investigations conducted at the Apollo 14 and 15 lunar landing sites | MPC · 4082 |
4083 Jody | 1985 CV | Joan D. Swann, planetary data librarian with the U.S. Geological Survey | MPC · 4083 |
4084 Hollis | 1985 GM | Andrew J. Hollis, British astronomer | MPC · 4084 |
4085 Weir | 1985 JR | Doris Blackman Weir, geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey | MPC · 4085 |
4086 Podalirius | 1985 VK2 | Podalirius, mythical Greek warrior | MPC · 4086 |
4087 PΓ€rt | 1986 EM1 | Arvo PΓ€rt (born 1935), Estonian composer | MPC · 4087 |
4088 Baggesen | 1986 GG | Jens Baggesen (1764β1826), Danish poet and satirist | MPC · 4088 |
4089 Galbraith | 1986 JG | John Kenneth Galbraith (1908β2006), Canadian-born, American economist and polemicist | JPL · 4089 |
4090 ΕΓΕ‘ehvΔzd | 1986 RH1 | ΕΓΕ‘e hvΔzd, Czech astronomy journal | MPC · 4090 |
4091 Lowe | 1986 TL2 | Andrew Lowe (born 1959), Canadian geophysicist and amateur astronomer | MPC · 4091 |
4092 Tyr | 1986 TJ4 | Tyr, Norse god | MPC · 4092 |
4093 Bennett | 1986 VD | Jack C. Bennett, South African amateur astronomer | MPC · 4093 |
4094 Aoshima | 1987 QC | Masaki Aoshima (1947β1987), Japanese amateur astronomer | MPC · 4094 |
4095 Ishizuchisan | 1987 SG | Ishizuchisan, mountain in Ehime, Japan | MPC · 4095 |
4096 Kushiro | 1987 VC | Kushiro, city in Japan | MPC · 4096 |
4097 Tsurugisan | 1987 WW | Tsurugisan, mountain in Tokushima, Japan | MPC · 4097 |
4098 Thraen | 1987 WQ1 | Anton Thraen (1843β1902), German amateur astronomer and Catholic priest | MPC · 4098 |
4099 Wiggins | 1988 AB5 | Patrick Wiggins (born 1949), American astronomy educator at the Hansen Planetarium (1975β2001) in Salt Lake City, UT. Currently NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador | JPL · 4099 |
4100 Sumiko | 1988 BF | Sumiko Hioki (born 1965), wife Japanese co-discoverer Tsutomu Hioki | MPC · 4100 |
4101β4200β»
4201β4300β»
4301β4400β»
4401β4500β»
4501β4600β»
4601β4700β»
4701β4800β»
4801β4900β»
4901β5000β»
- ^ "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 β 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 β Addendum to Fifth Edition: 2003β2005. 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 β 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) β v1.0" (PDF). Working Group Small Body Nomenclature (PDF). 20 December 2021.
Preceded by | Meanings of minor planet names List of minor planets: 4,001β5,000 |
Succeeded by |
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