From: jscotti@lpl.arizona.edu (Jim Scotti x2717)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: Naming asteriods question..
Date: 29 Dec 92 18:16:41 GMT
Organization: Lunar & Planetary Laboratory, Tucson AZ.

In article <BzxqsF.E1o@cs.dal.ca> andromed@Hail.ATM.Dal.Ca (Mike Boschat) writes:
>Why cannot asteriods be named after political leaders, like
>JFK, RFK. I see one named for Dr.Martin Luther King...so
>why  not the two Kennedys', and P.Trudeau one of our
>Canadian Prime Ministers.
> Would we be so childish that a war would start over naming
>an asteriod after someone ? example.."name it Lenin."..
>"No, its going to be Lincon."...
>"No, Lenin.."
>"No, Lincon.."
> goes on for a few hours till one side threatens the other with
>nuclear war...?????

The International Astronomical Union does indeed have a set of
rules regarding the naming of minor planets.  One such rule is
that names honoring individuals or events that are known
primarily for their political or military significance cannot
be used until the person has been dead for at least 100 years
or 100 years have passed since the event.  Fortunately, this
means that names such as "Hitler" will be put off long enough
that some historical perspective will be used in selecting or
not selecting such names.

In general, the discoverer has first choice in selecting a name
for a newly numbered minor planet, provided he abides by the
current rules.  Names can be rejected by the names committee
if they are too similar to existing names, or are thought to
be inappropriate.  Also, there are formal and informal rules
regarding the naming of minor planets which are part of certain 
dynamical classes such as the Trojan asteroids which occupy the
L4 and L5 points of the Sun-Jupiter system.  These asteroids are
split into 2 camps with the Greeks occupying one and the Trojans
the other (there are a few exceptions which were named early
on - I suppose there are a few spies occupying their opponents
camps....).

Typically, minor planets are named for other astronomers,
other scientists, relatives of the discoverer, places,
mythological figures, observatories, writers, and musicians.
Really, they are named for things important to the discoverer.
There is even an asteroid named "Mr. Spock" after the
discovers cat, (which, incidentally, was `named after the
character in the television program "Star Trek" who was
also imperturbable, logical, intelligent and had pointed
ears' - as the citation reads...).  BTW, asteroids (4147) Lennon,
(4148) McCartney, (4149) Harrison, and (4150) Starr are a fine
example of a real celestial rock group!

There is a new book by L.D. Schmadel called "Dictionary of
Minor Planet Names" which is available from Springer-Verlag
which has collected all the names through about the end of
1991.  It is an outstanding collection of the names and
citations, as well as some interesting discussions regarding
the naming and rules.
 
>Thanks in advance...
>                                     Clear skies
>
>                                     Mike Boschat
>JOHN F. KENNEDY
>  ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY

---------------------------------------------
Jim Scotti 
{jscotti@lpl.arizona.edu}
Lunar & Planetary Laboratory
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ 85721 USA
---------------------------------------------