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]
51001–51100
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| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51023 Benavidezlozano | 2000 GT109 | Paula G. Benavidez Lozano (born 1977) is an associate professor at Universidad de Alicante (Spain). Her research includes observation of trans-Neptunian bodies and modeling of collision processes, and the evolution and internal structure of small bodies. | IAU · 51023 |
51101–51200
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| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51166 Huimanto | 2000 HW63 | Man-To Hui (born 1990) is a Chinese postdoctoral researcher at the Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii (Honolulu, Hawaii), whose studies include photometric and dynamical studies of active asteroids, and near-Sun asteroids and comets. | IAU · 51166 |
| 51178 Geraintjones | 2000 HX70 | Geraint H. Jones (born 1970) is head of planetary science at University College London's Mullard Space Science Laboratory. He leads the European Space Agency's Comet Interceptor mission, and studies the interactions between comets and the solar wind, as well as planetary magnetospheres. | IAU · 51178 |
51201–51300
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| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51261 Holuša | 2000 JH64 | Jiří Holuša (1964–2011), educator at Ostrava Planetarium, Czech Republic | JPL · 51261 |
51301–51400
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| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| There are no named minor planets in this number range | |||
51401–51500
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| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51406 Massimocalvani | 2001 DL108 | Massimo Calvani (born 1947), Italian astronomer, director of the Astronomical Observatory of Padua and Asiago from 1999 to 2005 | JPL · 51406 |
| 51415 Tovinder | 2001 ER13 | Pat Tovsen (born 1951) and her husband Philip Inderwiesen (born 1953), American light pollution control advocates | JPL · 51415 |
| 51419 Deshapriya | 2001 EJ20 | Prasanna Deshapriya (born 1989) is a postdoctoral researcher at LESIA-Paris Observatory (France) whose studies include imaging analysis, spectrophotometry and visible-infrared spectroscopy of small bodies by the Rosetta and OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. | IAU · 51419 |
| 51430 Ireneclaire | 2001 FH7 | Irene Claire Schwartz, mother of Michael Schwartz of Tenagra Observatories | JPL · 51430 |
| 51431 Jayardee | 2001 FH9 | James R. Durig (born 1935), astronomer and the father of Douglas Tybor Durig who discovered this minor planet | JPL · 51431 |
51501–51600
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| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51569 Garywessen | 2001 HV3 | Gary Wessen (born 1949) has conducted archaeological research in western North America for over 40 years and has recorded over 250 new sites. He works with many Native American tribes, especially the Makah. He has also served as an officer for many archaeological associations. | JPL · 51569 |
| 51570 Phendricksen | 2001 HE4 | Peter B. Hendricksen (born 1951), electrical engineer, mathematician, accomplished classical guitarist and past president of the Black Hills Astronomical Society | JPL · 51570 |
| 51599 Brittany | 2001 HR24 | Brittany Johnson, niece of Loren C. Ball who discovered this minor planet | JPL · 51599 |
51601–51700
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| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51655 Susannemond | 2001 JA | Susanne Marie Emond, American dietitian and friend of the discoverer | JPL · 51655 |
| 51659 Robohachi | 2001 JN1 | Robohachi is a robot exhibited in the exhibition hall on the 2nd floor of Hachinohe City Children's Science Museum. He has been popular with children as a symbol of the Museum since it first opened. He talks, winks, moves his head from side to side and stretches his arms when his function buttons are pressed. | IAU · 51659 |
| 51663 Lovelock | 2001 JL7 | James Lovelock (born 1919), chemist, inventor, earth system scientist and author | JPL · 51663 |
51701–51800
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| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51741 Davidixon | 2001 KQ50 | David Dixon (born 1947), American amateur astronomer, who operates Jornada Observatory, New Mexico Src | MPC · 51741 |
| 51772 Sparker | 2001 MJ | Steve Parker (born 1951), director of Hidden Valley Observatory | JPL · 51772 |
51801–51900
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| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51823 Rickhusband | 2001 OY28 | Rick Husband (1957–2003), American astronaut, commander of the space shuttle Columbia (STS-107) | MPC · 51823 |
| 51824 Mikeanderson | 2001 OE30 | Michael P. Anderson (1959–2003), American astronaut, payload commander of the space shuttle Columbia (STS-107) | MPC · 51824 |
| 51825 Davidbrown | 2001 OQ33 | David M. Brown (1956–2003), American astronaut, mission specialist on board the space shuttle Columbia (STS-107) | MPC · 51825 |
| 51826 Kalpanachawla | 2001 OB34 | Kalpana Chawla (1962–2003), American astronaut, mission specialist on board the space shuttle Columbia (STS-107) | MPC · 51826 |
| 51827 Laurelclark | 2001 OH38 | Laurel Clark (1961–2003), American astronaut, mission specialist on board the space shuttle Columbia (STS-107) | MPC · 51827 |
| 51828 Ilanramon | 2001 OU39 | Ilan Ramon (1954–2003), Israeli astronaut, payload specialist on board the space shuttle Columbia (STS-107) | MPC · 51828 |
| 51829 Williemccool | 2001 OD41 | William C. McCool (1961–2003), American astronaut, pilot of the space shuttle Columbia (STS-107) | MPC · 51829 |
| 51874 Alessiosquilloni | 2001 PZ28 | Alessio Squilloni (b. 2000), an Italian amateur astronomer. | IAU · 51874 |
| 51895 Biblialexa | 2001 QX33 | Bibliotheca Alexandrina, a revival of the old library at Alexandria | JPL · 51895 |
51901–52000
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| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51915 Andry | 2001 QF71 | Andrea Casulli (born 2013), grandson of Silvano Casulli who discovered this minor planet | JPL · 51915 |
| 51983 Hönig | 2001 SZ8 | Sebastian F. Hönig (born 1978), German amateur astronomer | MPC · 51983 |
| 51985 Kirby | 2001 SA116 | Jack Kirby (1917–1994), American comic book artist, writer, and editor | JPL · 51985 |
References
edit- ^ "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.