Meanings of minor planet names: 320001–321000

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]

320001–320100 edit

Named minor planet Provisional This minor planet was named for... Ref · Catalog
320065 Erbaghjolu 2007 EW38 Erbaghjolu is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica. South of this village, 750 meters above sea level, is the Stelle di Corsica astronomical observatory. IAU · 320065

320101–320200 edit

Named minor planet Provisional This minor planet was named for... Ref · Catalog
320153 Eglitis 2007 FU20 Ilgmārs Eglītis (born 1951) was the head of the Baldone Observatory and director of the Institute of Astronomy of University of Latvia. JPL · 320153

320201–320300 edit

Named minor planet Provisional This minor planet was named for... Ref · Catalog
320260 Bertout 2007 QA5 Claude Bertout (born 1946), a French astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of star formation and was a long-time editor in chief of Astronomy & Astrophysics. JPL · 320260

320301–320400 edit

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

320401–320500 edit

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

320501–320600 edit

Named minor planet Provisional This minor planet was named for... Ref · Catalog
320541 Asiaa 2008 AD3 Description available (see ref). Please summarize in your own words. IAU · 320541

320601–320700 edit

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

320701–320800 edit

Named minor planet Provisional This minor planet was named for... Ref · Catalog
320790 Anestin 2008 EN145 Victor Anestin (1875–1918), a Romanian journalist who popularized astronomy and sciences. JPL · 320790

320801–320900 edit

Named minor planet Provisional This minor planet was named for... Ref · Catalog
320880 Cabu 2008 GV21 Jean Cabut (Cabu, 1938–2015), a French comic strip artist and caricaturist. JPL MPC · 320880

320901–321000 edit

Named minor planet Provisional This minor planet was named for... Ref · Catalog
320942 Jeanette-Jesse 2008 GC145 Jeanette (1916–2014) and Jesse (1916–2014) Wasserman, parents of American discoverer Lawrence H. Wasserman JPL · 320942

References edit

  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: 320,001–321,000
Succeeded by