- #1
- 1,047
- 786
NASA names asteroid "Hossi" after Sabine Hossenfelder
Click For Summary
Discussion Overview
The discussion revolves around the naming of the asteroid "Hossi" after Sabine Hossenfelder, specifically addressing the processes and authorities involved in the naming of asteroids, including the roles of NASA, the Minor Planet Center, and the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
Discussion Character
- Technical explanation, Debate/contested
Main Points Raised
- Some participants express confusion about whether NASA is responsible for naming asteroids, suggesting that it is actually the Minor Planet Center that handles this task.
- One participant humorously notes that the distinction between NASA and the Minor Planet Center may not be significant ("Patato potahto").
- A participant elaborates that the naming process is more complex, involving the IAU's Working Group Small Bodies Nomenclature (WGSBN), which does not name asteroids but approves names suggested by discoverers or assigns names after a certain period.
- This participant mentions that the discoverer has the right to suggest names for the first ten years after discovery, after which the process becomes more complicated, and they speculate that the WGSBN may have assigned the name in this case.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants do not reach a consensus on the specific roles of NASA, the Minor Planet Center, and the IAU in the naming process, indicating that multiple competing views remain regarding the authority and procedures involved.
Contextual Notes
The discussion highlights the complexity of the naming process, including the timeframes for name suggestions and the roles of different organizations, but does not resolve the specifics of who suggested the name "Hossi."
- #2
Vanadium 50
Staff Emeritus
Science Advisor
Education Advisor
Gold Member
Dearly Missed
- 35,005
- 21,707
I didn't think NASA named asteroids. I thought it was the Minor Planet Center/
- #3
- 22,823
- 14,864
Patato potahto.Vanadium 50 said:
- #4
glappkaeft
- 334
- 208
It a bit more complicated than that. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has the "Working Group Small Bodies Nomenclature" (WGSBN) but they sort of don't really name asteroids, they just approve names. The process starts when the Minor Planet Center has good enough data on the orbit.Vanadium 50 said:
For the first 10 years after discovery the discoverer has a right to suggest names and after that it becomes a little more complicated (a previous suggested name can be approved or MGSNB may assign on). In this case the asteroid has been known for 30 years and I cannot find any mention of who suggested the name but I suspect it is the MGSBN in this case.
https://www.wgsbn-iau.org/documentation/NamesAndCitations.pdf
Similar threads
- · Replies 14 ·
- · Replies 4 ·
High School
Biggest asteroid to pass Earth in 2021
- · Replies 1 ·
- · Replies 1 ·
High School
The Earth is upgrading with a second moon
- · Replies 13 ·
High School
Uracil found in carbonaceous asteroid
- · Replies 7 ·
High School
What is the true density of the Asteroid Belt?
- · Replies 17 ·
High School
Destroying asteroids shown to be very difficult
- · Replies 50 ·
High School
Mining asteroids for minerals and resources?
- · Replies 1 ·
- · Replies 35 ·