Meanings of minor planet names: 161001–162000

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. 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]

161001–161100

Named minor planet	Provisional	This minor planet was named for...	Ref · Catalog
161092 Zsigmond	2002 OL28	Vilmos Zsigmond (1930–2016), Academy Award-winning Hungarian-American cinematographer	JPL · 161092

161101–161200

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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

161201–161300

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Named minor planet	Provisional	This minor planet was named for...	Ref · Catalog
161207 Lidz	2002 TW305	Adam Lidz (born 1973), American astronomer with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey	JPL · 161207
161215 Loveday	2002 UL66	Jonathan Loveday (born 1963), British astronomer with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey	JPL · 161215
161230 Martinbacháček	2002 XO90	Martin Bacháček z Nauměřic [cs] (c. 1539–1612) was a Czech mathematician and astronomer, rector of Charles University in Prague, and a friend, collaborator and supporter of Johannes Kepler.	IAU · 161230
161278 Cesarmendoza	2003 FW128	Cesar Mendoza (1962–2008), Venezuelan astrophysicist	JPL · 161278

161301–161400

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Named minor planet	Provisional	This minor planet was named for...	Ref · Catalog
161315 de Shalit	2003 QS5	Amos de-Shalit (1926–1969), an Israeli nuclear physicist	JPL · 161315
161349 Mecsek	2003 SJ127	Mecsek is a mountain range in southern Hungary	JPL · 161349
161371 Bertrandou	2003 SO244	Bertrand Christophe (born 1976), son of French discoverer Bernard Christophe, named for Bertrandou le Fifre, a character in Edmond Rostand's play Cyrano de Bergerac	JPL · 161371

161401–161500

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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

161501–161600

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Named minor planet	Provisional	This minor planet was named for...	Ref · Catalog
161545 Ferrando	2004 XP16	Rafael Ferrando (born 1966), Spanish astronomer, discoverer of minor planets and founder of the Pla D'Arguines Astronomical Observatory (Spanish: Observatorio Astronomico Pla D'Arguines) in Valencia	JPL · 161545
161546 Schneeweis	2004 XT16	LtCdr (USN) Scott Schneeweis, American early U.S. space program historian, webmaster of †	JPL · 161546
161585 Danielhals	2005 GN184	Daniel W. Hals (born 1983) is a software engineer at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, who served as the Ground Systems Software Lead for the New Horizons Mission to Pluto.	JPL · 161585
161592 Sarahhamilton	2005 PN24	Sarah A. Hamilton (born 1974) is an operations manager at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. She served as the Mission Operations Planning Lead Manager for the New Horizons Mission to Pluto.	JPL · 161592

161601–161700

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Named minor planet	Provisional	This minor planet was named for...	Ref · Catalog
161625 Susskind	2005 YJ7	Leonard Susskind (born 1940), American theoretical physicist and Professor of theoretical physics at Stanford University.	JPL · 161625
161661 Bobbyclarke	2006 CN59	Robert Earle "Bobby" Clarke (born 1949), Canadian-born hockey player.	JPL · 161661
161693 Attilladanko	2006 HL46	Attilla Danko (1955–2024), Canadian software designer and amateur astronomer	JPL · 161693
161699 Lisahardaway	2006 HR140	Lisa Hardaway (1966–2017) was a program manager for Ball Aerospace, who managed the Ralph spectral imaging instrument for the New Horizons Mission to Pluto.	JPL · 161699

161701–161800

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Named minor planet	Provisional	This minor planet was named for...	Ref · Catalog
161715 Wenchuan	2006 MZ12	The memory of the 90,000 people who lost their lives in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake (or "Wenchuan earthquake") in China	JPL · 161715
161750 Garyladd	2006 SQ285	Gary Ladd (born 1947) is a photographer and author. He has spent over 40 years shooting iconic images of national parks in and around the Colorado Plateau. Ladd has a deep appreciation for geology and nature that is captured in his stunning photographs.	IAU · 161750

161801–161900

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Named minor planet	Provisional	This minor planet was named for...	Ref · Catalog
161835 Barbmcclintock	2006 XY50	Barbara McClintock (1902–1992) was an American scientist and cytogeneticist. She was awarded the 1983 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of genetic transposition. McClintock was the third woman elected to the National Academy of Sciences, and the first elected president of the Genetics Society of America.	IAU · 161835

161901–162000

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Named minor planet	Provisional	This minor planet was named for...	Ref · Catalog
161913 Hunyadi	2007 EA	The Hunyadi family was a Hungarian noble family, whose members played a decisive role in the history of the medieval Kingdom of Hungary. János Hunyadi was governor of Hungary and Viceroy of Transylvania, while King Matthias Corvinus made Hungary a significant Renaissance power by European standards.	IAU · 161913
161962 Galchyn	2007 HE84	The small village of Galchyn, location of the Andrushivka Astronomical Observatory in Andrushivka, northern Ukraine	JPL · 161962
161975 Kincsem	2007 LO	Kincsem was the most successful Thoroughbred race horse ever, having won 54 races for 54 starts	JPL · 161975
161989 Cacus	1978 CA	Cacus, from Roman mythology, a fire-breathing son of the fire good Vulcan. Cacus was killed by Jupiter's son, Hercules.	JPL · 161989

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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 160,001–161,000

Meanings of minor planet names List of minor planets: 161,001–162,000

Succeeded by 162,001–163,000