Meanings of minor planet names: 52001–53000

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.

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.

Official naming citations of newly named small Solar System bodies are published in MPC's Minor Planet Circulars several times a year.[1] Recent citations can also be found on the JPL Small-Body Database (SBDB).[2] 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.[3][4] Based on Paul Herget's The Names of the Minor Planets,[5] Schmadel also researched the unclear origin of numerous asteroids, most of which had been named prior to World War II.  This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Government document: "SBDB". New namings may only be added after official publication as the preannouncement of names is condemned by the Committee on Small Body Nomenclature.[6]

52001–52100

Named minor planet Provisional This minor planet was named for... Ref · Catalog
52005 Maik2002 CL13Maik Meyer (born 1970), German amateur astronomerMPC · 52005
52008 Johnnaka2002 EP111John Yoshio Naka (1914–2004), the preeminent American bonsai master of the late 20th century.JPL · 52008
52030 Maxvasile2002 PX33Massimiliano Vasile (born 1970) is a professor of Space Systems Engineering at the University of Strathclyde. He has developed innovative techniques for the design and optimization of space trajectories and is an astrodynamics expert. He is leader of the EuTN STARDUST project on asteroid and space debris monitoring and mitigation..JPL · 52030
52057 Clarkhowell2002 PS130Francis Clark Howell (1925–2007), generally known as "F. Clark Howell", was an American anthropologist.JPL · 52057

52101–52200

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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

52201–52300

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Named minor planet Provisional This minor planet was named for... Ref · Catalog
52225 Panchenko1968 OF1Vladislav Yakovlevich Panchenko (born 1947), an authority in laser information technologies, scientific instrumentation technologies, non-linear optics and medical physics.JPL · 52225
52226 Saenredam1974 PAPieter Jansz. Saenredam (1597–1665), Dutch Baroque-era painter and engraverJPL · 52226
52228 Protos1977 RNGreek word for "first", the discoverer's first minor planet detectionJPL · 52228
52231 Sitnik1978 RX1Grigorij Fedorovich Sitnik (1911–1996), professor of the Moscow State University.JPL · 52231
52242 Michelemaoret1981 EXMichele Maoret (born 1971), a mathematics teacher and president of the association of scientific education 'Luigi Lagrange', which is involved in the teaching of physics, mathematics and astronomy.JPL · 52242
52246 Donaldjohanson1981 EQ5Donald Johanson (born 1943), an American paleoanthropologist who discovered the fossil of a female hominin australopithecine known as "Lucy".JPL · 52246
52260 Ureshino1982 KAUreshino, a city located in Saga prefecture, Kyushu island, JapanJPL · 52260
52261 Izumishikibu1982 VL4Izumi Shikibu (born c. 976) was a Japanese poet from the 11th century Heian period. She wrote Izumi Shikibu Nikki, which was a notable diary containing waka poems about her affairs with the Imperial Prince. It is said that she was born in Shiroishi district and spent her younger days in Shiota in Saga Prefecture, Japan.JPL · 52261
52266 Van Flandern1986 ADTom Van Flandern (1940–2009), astronomer and lunar occultations analylist at the U.S. Naval Observatory in the 1970sJPL · 52266
52267 Rotarytorino1986 EP2The "Rotary Club Torino", the third oldest Rotary Club in Italy and from its foundation in 1925 has contributed with its services to the development of science and technology, the most important enterprises in the Piedmont scientific and industrial area.JPL · 52267
52270 Noamchomsky1988 CH5Noam Chomsky (born 1928), an American linguist and philosopher.JPL · 52270
52271 Lecorbusier1988 RP3Le Corbusier (Charles-Edouard Jeanneret, 1887–1965), Swiss-French architect and city plannerJPL · 52271
52285 Kakurinji1990 OX2Kakurinji, built by Prince Shotoku in AD 589, is a historically significant Buddhist temple complex in Kakogawa city, Hyogo prefecture.JPL · 52285
52291 Mott1990 TU1John R. Mott (1865–1955), American organizer of the modern ecumenical movement and Peace Prize NobelistJPL · 52291
52292 Kamdzhalov1990 TB2Yordan Kamdzhalov (born 1980), Bulgarian conductor.JPL · 52292
52293 Mommsen1990 TQ3Theodor Mommsen (1817–1903), German classical historian, epigraphist, and NobelistJPL · 52293
52294 Detlef1990 TJ4Detlef Ninnemann (born 1944), a German patent attorney and electrical engineer.JPL · 52294
52295 Köppen1990 VK4Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940), a Russian-German botanist-climatologist.JPL · 52295

52301–52400

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Named minor planet Provisional This minor planet was named for... Ref · Catalog
52301 Qumran1991 RQ2Qumran, Palestine, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were foundJPL · 52301
52308 Hanspeterröser1991 TE3Hans-Peter Röser (born 1949), director of the Institute of Space Studies at the University of Stuttgart.JPL · 52308
52309 Philnicolai1991 TQ7Philipp Nicolai, German Lutheran pastor and poet, author of the hymns Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Wake, awake! for night is flying) and Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern (How brightly beams the morning star!)JPL · 52309
52316 Daveslater1992 BDDavid C. Slater (1957–2011), a U.S. physicist with Southwest Research Institute.JPL · 52316
52334 Oberammergau1992 FS3Oberammergau, Bavaria, Germany, festival place of a famous Passion PlayJPL · 52334
52337 Compton1992 RSArthur Holly Compton, American physicist and NobelistJPL · 52337
52341 Ballmann1992 SB2Helga Ballmann (born 1954), the personal assistant of the Director of the Astronomisches Rechen-Institut, Heidelberg. JPLMPC · 52341
52344 Yehudimenuhin1992 YM1Yehudi Menuhin (1916–1999), an American-born violinist and conductor, is considered as one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century.JPL · 52344
52384 Elenapanko1993 HZ5Elena Alekseevna Panko (born 1958), a Ukrainian astronomer at Nikolaev State UniversityJPL · 52384
52387 Huitzilopochtli1993 OM7Huitzilopochtli is an Aztec god associated with the sun. His name, meaning "hummingbird of the south" came from the Aztec belief that the spirits of killed warriors followed the sun through the sky during four subsequent years. Thereafter they were transformed into hummingbirds.JPL · 52387

52401–52500

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Named minor planet Provisional This minor planet was named for... Ref · Catalog
52421 Daihoji1994 LADaihōji, north of Kumakōgen, Japan, 44th destination of the Shikoku PilgrimageJPL · 52421
52422 LPL1994 LPThe University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary LaboratoryJPL · 52422
52455 Masamika1995 AD1Masa-aki Takanashi (1959–2001) and his wife Mika, Japanese amateur astronomersJPL · 52455
52457 Enquist1995 AE4Anna Enquist (born 1945), a Dutch author and poet, who studied psycho-analysis at Leiden and piano at the conservatory of Den Haag.JPL · 52457
52480 Enzomora1995 UM5Gian Vincenzo Mora, Italian amateur astronomerJPL · 52480
52500 Kanata1996 DC1KANATA, Japanese for "Far Away", name of the new 1.5-m telescope of Hiroshima UniversityJPL · 52500

52501–52600

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Named minor planet Provisional This minor planet was named for... Ref · Catalog
52558 Pigafetta1997 FRAntonio Pigafetta (c. 1492—c. 1531) was an Italian navigator and geographer. He participated in the first circumnavigation of the globe from 1519 to 1522.JPL · 52558
52589 Montviloff1997 PY3Nicolas Montviloff, French co-founder of the Observatoire des Pises, and current president of the Société astronomique de MontpellierJPL · 52589

52601–52700

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Named minor planet Provisional This minor planet was named for... Ref · Catalog
52601 Iwayaji1997 SJ16Iwaya-ji, east of Kumakōgen, Japan, 45th destination of the Shikoku PilgrimageJPL · 52601
52604 Thomayer1997 TZ9Josef Thomayer (1853–1927), Czech professor of internal medicine at the Charles University of PragueJPL · 52604
52633 Turvey1997 WL23Barry Sydney Turvey (born 1950) has devoted many years to the cause of popularizing astronomy in the UK, as Membership Secretary, Merchandising Manager and Council Member of the Society for Popular Astronomy.JPL · 52633
52649 Chrismith1997 YX11Christine Elizabeth Smith, American elementary school teacherJPL · 52649
52665 Brianmay1998 BM30Brian May, British astrophysicist, chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University, and lead guitarist and songwriter for the rock group QueenJPL · 52665
52681 Kelleghan1998 DK34Deirdre Kelleghan (born 1957) is an Irish astronomer, artist and educator. She invents, designs and enacts creative workshops to help children understand our solar system through drawing. Her activities take place in schools, libraries, science centres and observatories throughout Ireland.JPL · 52681

52701–52800

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Named minor planet Provisional This minor planet was named for... Ref · Catalog
52767 Ophelestes1998 MW41Ophelestes, a Trojan warrior, was killed by an arrow of Teucer, who was causing much havoc with his bow amongst the ranks of the Trojans.JPL · 52767

52801–52900

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Named minor planet Provisional This minor planet was named for... Ref · Catalog
52872 Okyrhoe1998 SG35Okyrhoe, mythological daughter of Chiron and CharikloJPL · 52872

52901–53000

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Named minor planet Provisional This minor planet was named for... Ref · Catalog
52963 Vercingetorix1998 TB16Vercingetorix (ca. 82 BC – 46 BC) was a King of the Arverni and military leader of the Celtic people against the Roman invasion. He beat Julius Caesar's forces at the Battle of Gergovia (52 BCE), but surrendered during the battle of Alesia, presumably because of superstitions related to the lunar eclipse of 26 Sep. 52 BCE.JPL · 52963
52975 Cyllarus1998 TF35Cyllarus, mythological centaurJPL · 52975

References
  1. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  2. "JPL – Solar System Dynamics: Discovery Circumstances". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  3. Schmadel, Lutz D. (2003). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  4. 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.
  5. Herget, Paul (1968). The Names of the Minor Planets. Cincinnati, Ohio: Minor Planet Center, Cincinnati Observatory. OCLC 224288991.
  6. "Guide to Minor Body Astrometry – When can I name my discovery?". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
Preceded by
51,001–52,000		 Meanings of minor planet names
List of minor planets: 52,001–53,000		 Succeeded by
53,001–54,000
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