Meanings of minor planet names: 172001–173000

This is a partial list of meanings of minor-planet names. Also see list of named minor planets (alphabetical) for a condensed version without naming citations.

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. Public Domain 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]

172001–172100

Named minor planet Provisional This minor planet was named for... Ref · Catalog
172090 Davidmccomas 2002 CL257 David J. McComas (born 1958), a professor of astrophysical sciences at Princeton University, served as a Co-Investigator on the Particles and Plasma Science Team for the New Horizons mission to Pluto. JPL · 172090

172101–172200

Named minor planet Provisional This minor planet was named for... Ref · Catalog
172191 Ralphmcnutt 2002 PH152 Ralph McNutt (born 1953) is a senior scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. He served as a science team co-investigator and as the Principal Investigator of the PEPSSI instrument aboard the New Horizons mission to Pluto. JPL · 172191

172201–172300

Named minor planet Provisional This minor planet was named for... Ref · Catalog
172269 Tator 2002 TJ69 Michael Tator (1956–2009), German amateur astronomer and co-founder of Turtle Star Observatory in Muelheim-Ruhr JPL · 172269

172301–172400

Named minor planet Provisional This minor planet was named for... Ref · Catalog
172315 Changqiaoxiaoxue 2002 TL300 Suzhou ChangQiao Primary School. It was founded in 1911 and is located in the historic town of Lishu, China. JPL · 172315
172317 Walterbos 2002 TZ315 René Walterbos (born 1957), Dutch–American astronomer with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey JPL · 172317
172318 Wangshui 2002 TY342 Shu-i Wang (born 1964), American optical engineer with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey JPL · 172318

172401–172500

Named minor planet Provisional This minor planet was named for... Ref · Catalog
172425 Taliajacobi 2003 OJ18 Talia Jacobi (born 1977), Israeli medical student, nature guide and fan of astronomy, wife of the discoverer David Polishook JPL · 172425
172430 Sergiofonti 2003 QL8 Sergio Fonti (1945–2018) was a planetary scientist and Professor at Lecce University. He worked on the Rosetta, Mars Express and Venus Express space missions. IAU · 172430

172501–172600

Named minor planet Provisional This minor planet was named for... Ref · Catalog
172505 Kimberlyespy 2003 SC202 Kimberly Andrews Espy (born 1963) is the former Senior Vice President for Research at the University of Arizona, and was instrumental in establishing the space situational awareness initiative. A translational clinical neuroscientist and psychologist, she pioneered the integration of cognitive neuroscience tools. JPL · 172505
172525 Adamblock 2003 TY1 Adam Block (born 1973), American astronomy popularizer, discoverer of minor planets and astronomical director of the Mount Lemmon Science Center JPL · 172525
172526 Carolinegarcia 2003 TN3 Caroline M. Garcia (born 1961) is the Associate Vice President for Research at the University of Arizona. She has been instrumental in the administration of research resources at the university. An accountant by training, she has served the university for more than three decades. JPL · 172526
172593 Vörösmarty 2003 VM Mihály Vörösmarty (1800–1855) was a poet and dramatist, one of the greatest Hungarian romanticists, and a full member of the Hungarian Academy of Science. His poetry Szózat became a second national anthem, and Csongor és Tünde is one of the best Hungarian plays of the nineteenth century. JPL · 172593

172601–172700

Named minor planet Provisional This minor planet was named for... Ref · Catalog
There are no named minor planets in this number range

172701–172800

Named minor planet Provisional This minor planet was named for... Ref · Catalog
172734 Giansimon 2004 CN1 Gianluca (born 1969) and Simona (born 1971), sons of Italian co-discoverer Giancarlo Fagioli JPL · 172734

172801–172900

Named minor planet Provisional This minor planet was named for... Ref · Catalog
172850 Coppens 2005 EU27 Yves Coppens (born 1934), French paleoanthropologist, codiscoverer of the Australopithecus afarensis Lucy JPL · 172850

172901–173000

Named minor planet Provisional This minor planet was named for... Ref · Catalog
172932 Bachleitner 2005 JC Hannes Bachleitner (born 1965), a well-known Austrian amateur astronomer and astrophotographer JPL · 172932
172937 Pattysieck 2005 JS32 Patty Alvarado Sieck (b. 1961), an investigator for the State of Colorado Public Defenders Office for 23 years. IAU172937
172947 Baeyens 2005 JQ138 Dennis A. Baeyens (born 1946), is a molecular biologist who earned a PhD at Michigan State University. JPL · 172947
172951 Mehoke 2005 JN174 Douglas S. Mehoke (born 1956) is a thermal engineer at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, and served as a Thermal Systems Engineer for the New Horizons mission to Pluto. JPL · 172951
172985 Ericmelin 2006 HW147 Eric D. Melin (born 1977) is a software engineer at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, and served as the Ground Systems Lead for the New Horizons mission to Pluto. JPL · 172985
172989 Xuliyang 2006 KW67 Xu Liyang (born 1989), a friend of Chinese co-discoverer Ye Quan-Zhi JPL · 172989
172996 Stooke 2006 KL141 Philip John Stooke (born 1952), Canadian geographer, author of the International Atlas of Lunar Exploration JPL · 172996

References

  1. ^ "WGSBN Bulletin Archive". Working Group Small Body Nomenclature. 14 May 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  2. ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  3. ^ "JPL – Solar System Dynamics: Discovery Circumstances". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  4. ^ Schmadel, Lutz D. (2003). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ Herget, Paul (1968). The Names of the Minor Planets. Cincinnati, Ohio: Minor Planet Center, Cincinnati Observatory. OCLC 224288991.
  7. ^ "Guide to Minor Body Astrometry – When can I name my discovery?". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
  8. ^ "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.


Preceded by Meanings of minor planet names
List of minor planets: 172,001–173,000 		Succeeded by