B NASA names asteroid "Hossi" after Sabine Hossenfelder

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NASA does not directly name asteroids; the Minor Planet Center collects data and suggests names, while the International Astronomical Union's Working Group Small Bodies Nomenclature (WGSBN) approves them. The naming process allows discoverers to suggest names for the first ten years after discovery, after which it becomes more complex. The asteroid "Hossi," named after Sabine Hossenfelder, has been known for 30 years, and the name's origin remains unclear, possibly linked to the WGSBN. The discussion clarifies the roles of these organizations in asteroid naming. Understanding this process highlights the collaborative nature of astronomical nomenclature.
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I didn't think NASA named asteroids. I thought it was the Minor Planet Center/
 
Vanadium 50 said:
I didn't think NASA named asteroids. I thought it was the Minor Planet Center/
Patato potahto. 😛
 
Vanadium 50 said:
I didn't think NASA named asteroids. I thought it was the Minor Planet Center/
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.

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
 
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