We are delighted to announce the following Minor Planets and Comets named in honor of AAVSO Directors Janet A. Mattei, Margaret Mayall, and Arne Henden, and many AAVSO observers, members, colleagues, and friends. We would like to congratulate each of the honorees for having their names "written in the sky."
To see the citations for Minor Planet honorees, and for other information, visit the IAU Minor Planet Center website http://www.minorplanetcenter.net
If you know of someone who should be added to this list, please contact us with the minor planet number, the new name, and the person it honors. Thank you for helping us make this page complete!
List is in order of honoree names
Minor Planet Number | Minor Planet or Comet Name | In Honor Of |
8900 | AAVSO | AAVSO |
12789 | Salvadoraguirre | Salvador Aguirre (ASA) |
3181 | Ahnert | Paul Ahnert (AH) |
268115 | Williamalbrech | William B. Albrecht (AB) |
10967 | Allen | William (Bill) Allen (AWH) |
1551 | Argelander | Friedrich W. A. Argelander (AFW) |
2157 | Ashbrook | Joseph Ashbrook (AS) |
7196 | Baroni | Sandro Baroni (BSR) |
318698 | Barthalajos | Lajos Bartha (BQ) |
2434 | Bateson | Frank Bateson (BT) |
4093 | Bennett | John (Jack) Bennett (BNJ) |
3684 | Berry | Richard L. Berry (BYY) |
73703 | Billings | Gary Billings (BGW) |
2873 | Binzel | Richard Binzel (BIR) |
8925 | Boattini | Andrea Boattini (BAX) |
4673 | Bortle | John E. Bortle (BRJ) |
9706 | Bouma | Reinder J. Bouma (BMU) |
8166 | Buczynski | Dennis Buczynski (BDGA) |
6820 | Buil | Christian Buil (CBCA) |
1120 | Cannonia | Annie Jump Cannon (CN) |
10149 | Cavagna | Marco Cavagna (CIT) |
13880 | Wayneclark | Wayne Clark (CLK) |
33747 | Clingan | Roy Clingan (CYN) |
5791 | Comello | Georg Comello (CMG) |
35365 | Coone | Walter Cooney (CWT) |
5068 | Cragg | Thomas A. Cragg (CR) |
14062 | Cremaschini | Claudio Cremaschini (CCU) |
270472 | Csörgei | Tibor Csörgei (CTI) |
1754 | Cunningham | Leland Cunningham (CLE) |
5274 | Degewij | J. Degewey (DWG) |
3841 | Dicicco | Dennis di Cicco |
24858 | Diethelm | Roger Diethelm (DRG) |
78393 | Dillon | William G. Dillon (DIL) |
3123 | Dunham | David W. Dunham (DDW) |
3032 | Evans | Robert O. Evans |
4726 | Federer | Charles and Helen Federer |
7147 | Feijth | Henk Feijth (FJH) |
318547 | Fidrich | Robert Fidrich (FRF) |
13147 | Foglia | Sergio Foglia (FSE) |
3185 | Ford | Clinton B. Ford (FD) |
6515 | Galli | Gianni Galli (GGL) |
31139 | Garnavich | Peter Garnavich (GAP) |
10498 | Bobgent | Robert Gent (GTR) |
2658 | Gingerich | Owen Gingerich (GH) |
4817 | Gliba | George W. Gliba (GLG) |
7035 | Gomi | Kazuaki Gomi (GO) |
33800 | Gross | John Gross (GQJ) |
3853 | Haas | Walter H. Haas (HAA) |
357546 | Edwardhalbach | Edward A. Halbach (HK) |
3530 | Hammel | Heidi Hammel |
210213 | Hasler-Gloor | Niklaus and Ursula Hasler-Gloor (HGN) |
8710 | Hawley | Walter Hawley HWL) |
10024 | Marthahazen | Martha L. Hazen (LMH) |
33529 | Henden | Arne A. Henden (HQA) |
12641 | Hubertushenrichs | Hubertus (Huib) Henrichs (HHUA) |
3099 | Hergenrother | Carl Hergenrother (HCW) |
164215 | Doloreshill | Dolores Hill (HID) |
118945 | Rikhill | Rik Hill (HRI) |
4799 | Hirasawa | Yasuo Hirasawa (HIR) |
27748 | Vivianhoette | Vivian Hoett (HOU01) |
3416 | Dorrit | Dorrit Hoffleit (HFD) |
2917 | Sawyer Hogg | Helen Sawyer Hogg |
187283 | Jeffhopkins | Jeffrey Hopkins (HPO) |
3841 | Houston | Walter Houston (HU) |
6398 | Timhunter | Tim Hunter (HUT) |
3434 | Hurless | Carolyn Hurless (HR) |
3697 | Guyhurst | Guy Hurst (HUR) |
4143 | Huziak | Richard Huziak (HUZ) |
268242 | Pebble | Pebble Richwine Johnson (RPB) |
3152 | Jones | Albert F. Jones (JA) |
Comets | Comet discoveries by Albert F. Jones | Albert F. Jones (JA) |
10340 | Jostjahn | Jost Jahn (JJA) |
176103 | Waynejohnson | Wayne Johnson (JWP) |
40463 | Frankkameny | Frank Kameny (KFE) |
318694 | Keszthelyi | Sandor Keszthelyi (KSZ) |
3907 | Kilmartin | Pamela Kilmartin (KPM) |
113202 | Kisslaszlo | Laszlo Kiss (KIL) |
37859 | Bobkoff | Robert Koff (KRV) |
4177 | Kohman | Truman Kohman (KO) |
7392 | Kowalski | Richard Kowalski (KRC) |
45518 | Larrykrozel | Larry Krozel (KROL) |
269589 | Kryachko | Timur Valerievich Kryachko (KTV) |
181298 | Ladányi | Tamás Ladányi (LTD) |
15072 | Landolt | Arlo U. Landolt (LAL) |
19123 | Stephenlevine | Stephen Levine (LSQ) |
3673 | Levy | David Levy (LVY) |
Comets | Comet discoveries by David Levy | David Levy (LVY) |
3865 | Lindbloom | George Lindbloom (LNB) |
15819 | Alisterling | Alister Ling (LAI) |
85121 | Loehde | Franklin Loehde (L32) |
73511 | Lovas | Miklos Lovas (L39) |
Comets |
93P/1980 X1 Lovas-1 and 186P/1986 W1 Lovas-2 |
Miklos Lovas (L39) |
1964 | Luyten | Willem Luyten (LY) |
304233 | Majaess | Daniel J. Majaess (MOJO) |
9701 | Mak | Arie Mak (MVU) |
1877 | Marsden | Brian G. Marsden |
21795 | Masi | Gianluca Masi (MGC) |
11695 | Mattei | Janet Akyüz Mattei (MTT) |
3342 | Fivesparks | Margaret and Newton Mayall (MA, MRN) |
8545 | McGee | Hazel McGee (MGH) |
4248 | Ranaldmcintosh | Ranald McIntosh |
3173 | McNaught | Robert H. McNaught (MRH) |
2013 | Meeus | Jean Meeus (MEG) |
68144 | Mizser | Attila Mizser (MZS)) |
35316 | Monella | Rinaldo Monella (MAR) |
2780 | Monnig | Oscar Monnig (MG) |
2602 | Moore | Sir Patrick Moore (MOP) |
3783 | Morris | Charles S. Morris (MRR) |
133537 | Mariomotta | Mario Motta, M.D. (MMX) |
2590 | Mourao | Ronaldo Rogério de Freitas Mourão (M59) |
7599 | Munari | Ulisse Munari |
12169 | Munsterman | H. Munsterman (MHN) |
7639 | Offutt | Warren Offutt |
3637 | O'Meara | Stephen O'Meara (OME) |
368617 | Sebastianotero | Sebastian Otero (OSE) |
5038 | Overbeek | Daniel Overbeek (OB) |
17077 | Pampaloni | Carlo Pampaloni (PCP) |
8794 | Joepatterson | Joseph Patterson |
78430 | Andrewpearce | Andrew Pearce (PEX) |
3850 | Peltier | Leslie Peltier (P) |
Comets | Comet discoveries by Leslie Peltier | Leslie Peltier (P) |
157421 | Carolpercy | Carol Percy |
32208 | Johnpercy | John R. Percy |
32207 | Mairepercy | Maire Percy |
Comet | Comet 185P/Petriew (2001 Q2) | Vance Petriew (PVA) |
784 | Pickeringia | Edward C. Pickering (BMU) |
12753 | Povenmire | Hal and Katie Povenmire |
35364 | Donaldpray | Donald Pray (PDO) |
4474 | Proust | Dominique Proust (PDQ) |
32096 | Puckett | Tim Puckett |
107223 | Ripero | Jose Ripero Osorio (OJR) |
11781 | Akexriberts | Alexander Roberts (RAE) |
5208 | Royer | Ronald Royer (RR) |
6809 | Sakuma | Seiichi Sakuma (SSU) |
6459 | Hidesan | Hideo Sato |
8131 | Scanlon | Leo Scanlon (SLJ) |
5071 | Schoenmaker | Anton Schoenmaker (SANO) |
15052 | Emileschweitzer | Emile Schweitzer (SCZ) |
4939 | Scovil | Charles Scovil (SCE) |
1123 | Shapleya | Harlow Shapley (S28) |
117736 | Sherrod | P. Clay Sherrod (SHB) |
279274 | Shurpakov | Sergey Eduardovich Shurpakov (SSER) |
367732 | Mikesimonsen | Mike Simonsen (SXN) |
2554 | Skiff | Brian Skiff (SBRI) |
Comets | Comet discoveries by Brian Skiff | Brian Skiff (SBRI) |
1613 | Smiley | Charles Smiley (SY) |
218692 | Leesnyder | LeRoy Snyder (SX) |
4789 | Sprattia | Chris Spratt (SC) |
19208 | Starrfield | Sumner Starrfield |
2300 | Stebbins | Joel Stebbins (SQ) |
38540 | Stevens | Berton L. Stevens, Jr. |
2168 | Swope | Henrietta Hill Swope (S58) |
3427 | Szentmartoni | Bela Szentmartoni (SZC) |
170011 | Szkody | Paula Szkody (SPAU) |
50687 | Paultemple | Paul Temple (TPV) |
510 | Mabella | Mabel Loomis Todd (TMO) |
9904 | MauraTombelli | Maura Tombelli (TMB) |
205698 | Troiani | Daniel Troiani (TDM) |
149968 | Trondal | Odd Trondal (TRO) |
27810 | Daveturner | David Turner (TDG) |
383508 | Vadrot | Laurent Vadrot (VLN) |
3098 | van Sprang | Bert van Sprang (VSU) |
25625 | Verdenet | Michel Verdenet (VET) |
34717 | Mirkovilli | Mirko Villi (VMO) |
8734 | Warner | Brian D. Warner (WAB) |
3682 | Welther | Barbara L. Welther |
4099 | Wiggins | Patrick Wiggins (WPK) |
10642 | Charmaine | Charmaine Wilkerson |
16797 | Wilkerson | Winston S. Wilkerson (WWSA) |
316028 | Patrickwils | Patrick Wils (WLP) |
227770 | Wischnewski | Erik Wischnewski (WERB) |
10976 | Wubbena | Eltjo Wubbena (WUB) |
9191 | Carolyndiane | Carolyn Diane Young (wife of Albert Jones) |
14698 | Scottyoung | Scott Young (YSD) |
14568 | Zanotta | Mauro Zanotta (ZAM) |
Comet | C/1991 Y1 Zanotta-Brewington | Mauro Zanotta (ZAM) |
6949 | Zissell | Ronald E. Zissell (ZRE) |
An ephemeris for any of these minor planets or comets may be generated using the NASA HORIZONS interface at