New Named Asteroids – Jan. 12, 2017

Each month (or thereabouts), the IAU Minor Planet Center publishes a PDF document containing an extensive list of asteroid and comet observations. At the bottom of this document is a list of newly named asteroids.

Asteroids have been named after: scientists (Br. Guy Consolmagno, Bill Nye, Neil deGrasse Tyson) and fictional characters (Sauron, Achilles), cities (Barcelona, Chicago), and entertainers (Freddie Mercury, Monty Python, Wil Wheaton), science and engineering fair winning students, and space mission specialists (a boatload of OSIRIS-REx mission team members got asteroids named after them). The Warren Astronomical Society and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific both have asteroids named after them.

While doing research for my lecture on asteroids, I got to know an astronomer who worked at the Catalina Sky Survey; through him, I was able to get an asteroid named after my wife: 117852 Constance (2005 JG151). Each citation is allowed a short description of the recipient; sometimes it can be difficult to extol the virtues of a recipient in the space of two “tweets.”

Connie’s citation reads:
117852 Constance = 2005 JG₁₅₁
Discovered 2005 May 3 by the Catalina Sky Survey.
Constance L. Martin-Trembley (b. 1962) has been a beloved and inspirational science teacher for over a decade. Connie has organized educational trips, run an after school book club and science club, and has a passion for astronomy. She was awarded Teacher of the year for her district in 2007.

Here are the new named minor planets for Jan. 12, 2017:

(6406) Mikejura = 1992 MJ
Discovered 1992 June 28 by H. E. Holt at Palomar.
Michael Jura (1947–2016) was as an American astronomer and UCLA professor whose work on polluted white dwarfs first enabled the measurement of the chemical compositions of extrasolar asteroids.

(6466) Drewesquivel = 1979 MU8
Discovered 1979 June 25 by E. F. Helin and S. J. Bus at Siding Spring.
Drew Esquivel (1995–2016), a devoted student, mentor, leader, and outstanding athlete on wrestling and swimming teams, enjoyed sharing his skills and passion for software development with his peers at MIT and the Summer Science Program, and with the community at large via mobile applications and online tutoring.

(7156) Flaviofusipecci = 1981 EC2
Discovered 1981 Mar. 4 by H. Debehogne and G. De Sanctis at the European Southern Observatory.
Flavio Fusi Pecci (b. 1948) is an Italian astrophysicist who has made major contributions to the study of globular clusters. He was director of the Bologna and Cagliari astronomical observatories.

(9649) Junfukue = 1995 XG
Discovered 1995 Dec. 2 by T. Kobayashi at Oizumi.
Jun Fukue (b. 1956), professor at Osaka Kyoiku University, works on theoretical studies concerning accretion disks embedded in quasars and black holes. He also has engaged in science outreach and has published many popular-level books on astronomy.

(9791) Kamiyakurai = 1995 YD1
Discovered 1995 Dec. 21 by T. Kobayashi at Oizumi.
Yakuraisan, popularly called Kami Fuji, is a mountain located in the town of Kami in northeastern Japan. People come here to enjoy beautiful seasonal nature, flowers and starry nights.

(9792) Nonodakesan = 1996 BX1
Discovered 1996 Jan. 23 by T. Kobayashi at Oizumi.
Nonodakesan is a mountain located in the town of Wakuya in northeastern Japan. Konpo-ji Temple, popularly called Nonodake Kannon, was constructed on the summit of Nonodake in the eighth century.

(9804) Shrikulkarni = 1997 NU
Discovered 1997 July 1 by E. O. Ofek at Wise.
Shrinivas Kulkarni (b. 1956) was a co-discoverer of the first millisecond pulsar, the first optical counterpart of a binary pulsar, the first pulsar in a globular cluster, the extragalactic origin of gamma-ray bursts and the first brown dwarf. He founded the Palomar Transient Factory and the Zwicky Transient Facility.

(9977) Kentakunimoto = 1994 AH
Discovered 1994 Jan. 2 by T. Kobayashi at Oizumi.
Kenta Kunimoto (b. 1960) is a Japanese neurosurgeon and a specialist in emergency medicine. He is the medical director of the Kitamurayama Hospital in Yamagata Prefecture.

(10791) Uson = 1992 CS
Discovered 1992 Feb. 8 by T. Seki at Geisei.
Uson Morishita (1890–1965), born in Sagawa, Kochi prefecture, was one of the earliest mystery writers in Japan. He wrote many novels, mentored young writers, and is called the father of Japanese mystery novels.

(11294) Kazu = 1992 CK
Discovered 1992 Feb. 4 by T. Seki at Geisei.
Kazumasa Imai (b. 1955) is a Japanese radio astronomer at Kochi National College of Technology. He specializes in Jupiter radio science and made the first model to explain the modulation lanes of Jupiter’s decametric radio emissions.

(12663) Bj¨orkegren = 1978 RL7
Discovered 1978 Sept. 2 by C.-I. Lagerkvist at the European Southern Observatory.
Named after the family Bj¨orkegren, friends and neigbours of the discoverer’s summer house on Gotland.

(12749) Odokaigan = 1993 CB
Discovered 1993 Feb. 2 by T. Seki at Geisei.
Odokaigan is a beach on the Otsuki Peninsula at the south-western tip of Shikoku, Japan. It boasts a spectacular view of the coast with a line of 80-meter-tall cliffs and tower-like rock formations projected above the water.

(15810) Arawn = 1994 JR1
Discovered 1994 May 12 by M. J. Irwin and A. Zytkow at La Palma.
The Middle Welsh Pedair Cainc Y Mabinogi (Four Branches of the Mabinogi) describes Arawn as the ruler of the Celtic otherworld, Annwn.

(15853) Benedettafoglia = 1996 BB13
Discovered 1996 Jan. 16 by U. Munari and M. Tombelli at Cima Ekar.
Benedetta Foglia (b. 2006) is the second daughter of Sergio and Paola Diomede, friends of the discoverers. Benedetta is an amateur astronomer.

(16598) Brugmansia = 1992 YC2
Discovered 1992 Dec. 18 by E. W. Elst at Caussols.
Named for a genus of flowering plants in the family Solanaceae. They are woody trees or shrubs, with pendulous flowers, and have no spines on their fruit. Their large, fragrant flowers give them their common name of “angel’s trumpets.”

(16680) Minamitanemachi = 1994 EP3
Discovered 1994 Mar. 14 by K. Endate and K. Watanabe at Kitami.
Minamitanemachi is a town located in the southern part of Tanegashima Island, Kagoshima. It is well-known as the town where a gun was introduced to Japan for the first time in 1543. It is also known for the Tanegashima Space Center.

(18289) Yokoyamakoichi = 1976 UB16
Discovered 1976 Oct. 22 by H. Kosai and K. Hurukawa at Kiso.
Koichi Yokoyama (b. 1940) is a professor emeritus of the National Astronomical observatory, Japan. He was Director of the International Polar Motion Service (1981–1987) and first chairman of the directing board of the International Earth Rotation Service. He also improved the nutation tables.

(18399) Tentoumushi = 1992 WK1
Discovered 1992 Nov. 17 by K. Endate and K. Watanabe at Kitami.
The Tentoumushi astronomy club was named after the seven-starred ladybug. The club received an award from the city of Komatsu for its astronomy popularization.

(18524) Tagatoshihiro = 1996 VE8
Discovered 1996 Nov. 6 by K. Endate and K. Watanabe at Kitami.
Toshihiro Taga (b. 1951) is a Japanese amateur astronomer and president of the Tottori Society of Astronomy. He is a popularizer of astronomy.

(19288) Egami = 1996 FJ5
Discovered 1996 Mar. 20 by K. Endate and K. Watanabe at Kitami.
Katsunori Egami (b. 1959) is the leader of the astronomical volunteers at the Fukuoka Science Museum. He is well-known throughout Kyushu as a collector of meteorites.

(19303) Chinacyo = 1996 TP1
Discovered 1996 Oct. 5 by K. Endate and K. Watanabe at Kitami.
Chinacyo town is on Okinoerabujima island, one of the Amami Islands, in Kagoshima Prefecture in the southern Japan.

(19953) Takeo = 1982 VU2
Discovered 1982 Nov. 14 by H. Kosai and K. Hurukawa at Kiso.
Takeo is a city in Saga prefecture on Kyushu island in Japan, surrounded by mountains. Takeo is famous for hot springs and ceramics. In the 19th century, the Lord of Takeo was very interested in astronomy and eagerly accepted Western culture.

(19954) Shigeyoshi = 1982 VY3
Discovered 1982 Nov. 14 by H. Kosai and K. Hurukawa at Kiso.
Shigeyoshi Nabeshima (1800–1862) was the 28th lord of Takeo area, Saga domain in the 19th century. He imported globes and astronomical telescopes, and introduced foreign studies including astronomy. He is respected as a local hero, called “Shigeyoshi-kou” in Takeo.

(20243) Den Bosch = 1998 DB36
Discovered 1998 Feb. 25 by E. W. Elst at the European Southern Observatory.
Den Bosch (s-Hertogenbosch) is the capital of the province of North Brabant in the Netherlands. The city flourished in the 15th century, although it was nearly completely destroyed by a catastrophic fire in 1463. The painter Hieronymus Bosch lived almost his entire life in Den Bosch.

(22280) Mandragora = 1985 CD2
Discovered 1985 Feb. 12 by H. Debehogne at the European Southern Observatory.
Named for a genus belonging to the nightshade family (Solanaceae). Members of the genus are known as mandrakes. They are perennial herbaceous plants, with large tap-roots and leaves in the form of a rosette. Individual flowers are bell-shaped, whitish through to violet, and are followed by yellow or orange berries.

(22383) Nikolauspacassi = 1994 EL
Discovered 1994 Mar. 5 at Farra d’Isonzo.
Nikolaus Franz Leonhard von Pacassi (1716–1790) was an Austrian architect of Italian origin. He was appointed court architect to Maria Theresa of Austria and designed notable buildings in Vienna, Prague, Buda and Gorizia.

(24945) Houziaux = 1997 LH9
Discovered 1997 June 7 by E. W. Elst at the European Southern Observatory.
L´eo Houziaux (b. 1932), a Belgian astrophysicist at Li`ege University, specialized in stellar structure at Mt. Wilson and Palomar. From rockets and satellites, he obtained the spectra and fluxes from over 30 000 stars. He created the Department of Astrophysics at Mons University (B) in 1982.

(27718) Gouda = 1989 GH3
Discovered 1989 Apr. 2 by E. W. Elst at the European Southern Observatory.
Gouda, a city in the South Holland province of the Netherlands, was founded in 1272. The city is well known for its yellow-colored Gouda cheese, one of the oldest known cheeses in world, first mentioned in 1184. The Gouda cheese market, held on Thursdays, is a tourist attraction.

(28251) Gerbaldi = 1999 BW13
Discovered 1999 Jan. 20 by ODAS at Caussols.
Michele Gerbaldi (b. 1944) is a French astronomer specializing in stellar astrophysics. She worked at the Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris from 1968 to 2007. She is one of the founding member of CLEA (Comit´e de Liaison Enseignants et Astronomes) and has also been very active in the IAU’s ISYA program.

(28547) Johannschr¨oter = 2000 EB21
Discovered 2000 Mar. 3 by the Catalina Sky Survey.
Johann Hieronymus Schr¨oter (1745–1816) was a lunar astronomer influenced by William Herschel and who later influenced Karl Ludwig Harding and Fredrich Wilhelm Bessel. He published his seminal work on lunar topography entitled Selenotopographische Fragmente zur genauern Kenntniss der Mondfl¨ache in 1791.

(29508) Botinelli = 1997 XR8
Discovered 1997 Dec. 7 by ODAS at Caussols.
Lucette Botinelli (1937–2015) was a French radio astronomer from Meudon Observatory, who taught at Orsay University from 1962 to 2005. Observing the 21 cm line of galaxies, she helped reconcile the then-divergent values of the Hubble constant. She is a founding member of the Comit´e de Liaison Enseignants et Astronomes.

(29633) Weatherwax = 1998 VH2
Discovered 1998 Nov. 10 by ODAS at Caussols.
Craig (b. 1947) and Leigh (b. 1947) Weatherwax have helped the astronomy community in southern California for more than 40 years. They are good friends of the discoverer and this naming is on the occasion of their retirement.

(29696) Distasio = 1998 YN
Discovered 1998 Dec. 16 by ODAS at Caussols.
Penny Distasio (b. 1955) is an amateur astronomer and author. She ran the OPTAS astronomy club for 15 years and is now a content writer for many web sites related to astronomy.

(29725) Mikewest = 1999 AC25
Discovered 1999 Jan. 15 by ODAS at Caussols.
Michael West (b. 1954) has served amateur astronomers for more than 30 years with his expertise, advice, encouragement and unwavering commitment to the astronomical community.

(30094) Rolfebode = 2000 ER141
Discovered 2000 Mar. 2 by the Catalina Sky Survey.
Rolfe Bode (b. 1959) is an aerospace engineer who has worked on many NASA missions including MPL-MVACS and the Phoenix Mars mission at the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory and private space companies including Paragon Space Development Corp. and World View Enterprises.

(30095) Tarabode = 2000 EU145
Discovered 2000 Mar. 3 by the Catalina Sky Survey.
Tara Bode (b. 1975) has been the long-time business manager at the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory and the Department of Planetary Sciences. She has provided vital support for numerous planetary scientists, staff, students, programs and spacecraft missions.

(30096) Glindadavidson = 2000 EZ147
Discovered 2000 Mar. 4 by the Catalina Sky Survey.
Glinda Davidson (b. 1963) is a long-time business manager, contracts and budget expert at the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory and the Department of Planetary Sciences. She has provided essential support for numerous planetary scientists, staff, students and spacecraft missions.

(32618) Leungkamcheung = 2001 QL293
Discovered 2001 Aug. 31 by W. K. Y. Yeung at Desert Eagle.
Leungkamcheung (b. 1956) is a former President of the Hong Kong Astronomical Society. He contributed to the popularization and education of astronomy in Hong Kong. He is one of the pioneers in establishing astronomical research collaborations between amateur and professional astronomers in the region.

(34995) Dainihonshi = 1977 DP2
Discovered 1977 Feb. 18 by H. Kosai and K. Hurukawa at Kiso.
The Dai Nihonshi is a historical record of Japan, comprising 397 volumes, covering the period from Emperor Jimmu (c. 650 BCE) to Emperor Go-Komatsu (1377–1433).

(34996) Mitokoumon = 1977 DH4
Discovered 1977 Feb. 18 by H. Kosai and K. Hurukawa at Kiso.
Mitokoumon is a popular name of Mitsukuni Tokugara (1628–1701), a vice Shogun of the Tokugawa family and a lord of the Mito domain.

(39734) Marchiori = 1996 XG26
Discovered 1996 Dec. 14 by F. Manca and P. Chiavenna at Sormano.
Gianpietro Marchiori (b. 1953) is the founder of EIE Group, an Italian company that has been involved in the construction of optical and radio telescopes around the world. Under his enthusiastic management, projects such as VLT, LBT, ALMA and E-ELT were developed.

(39991) Iochroma = 1998 HR37
Discovered 1998 Apr. 20 by the Lincoln Laboratory Near-Earth Asteroid Research Team at Socorro.
Named for a genus of shrubs and small trees found in the forests of South America. Their hummingbird-pollinated flowers are tubular or trumpet-shaped. Iochromas are often cultivated as flowering ornamentals.

(42566) Ryutaro = 1996 XQ25
Discovered 1996 Dec. 3 by T. Seki at Geisei.
Ryutaro Hirota (1892–1952), a renowned Japanese composer, was born in Aki city, Kochi prefecture and studied musical composition at Tokyo Music School. He composed many children’s songs, which have been enjoyed by many generations of Japanese.

(43597) Changshaopo = 2001 QT163
Discovered 2001 Aug. 31 by W. K. Y. Yeung at Desert Eagle.
Changshaopo (b. 1932) is a Marist brother who served as the principal of St. Francis Xavier’s School in Hong Kong from 1974 to 1997. He devoted himself to educating the younger generation, practicing the school’s motto “Integrity and Universal Love”.

(43935) Danshechtman = 1996 TF
Discovered 1996 Oct. 1 by V. S. Casulli at Colleverde.
Dan Shechtman (b. 1941) is an Israeli physicist who won the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 2011.

(44355) Thijsdegraauw = 1998 ST2
Discovered 1998 Sept. 18 by V. S. Casulli at Colleverde.
Thijs de Graauw (b. 1942) is a German astronomer who is Director of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array.

(52260) Ureshino = 1982 KA
Discovered 1982 May 22 by H. Kosai and K. Hurukawa at Kiso.
Ureshino is a city located in Saga prefecture, Kyushu island, Japan. In legend, Ureshino’s name came from the Empress Jingu, who upon seeing the wounds of her injured soldiers completely healed by its hot springs, exclaimed “Ana, Ureshi” (“I am happy”). Ureshino became famous for its natural hot springs in the 8th century.

(52261) Izumishikibu = 1982 VL4
Discovered 1982 Nov. 14 by H. Kosai and K. Hurukawa at Kiso.
Izumi Shikibu is a Japanese poet from the 11th century. She wrote “Izumi Shikibu Nikki”, which was a notable diary containing waka poems about her affairs with the Imperial Prince. It is said that she was born in Shiroishi district and spent her younger days in Shiota in Saga Prefecture, Japan.

(52558) Pigafetta = 1997 FR
Discovered 1997 Mar. 27 by V. S. Casulli at Colleverde.
Antonio Pigafetta (c. 1492—c. 1531) was an Italian navigator and geographer. He participated in the first circumnavigation of the globe from 1519 to 1522.

(53843) Antjiekrog = 2000 FG10
Discovered 2000 Mar. 30 at Colleverde.
Antjie Krog (b. 1952) is a South African writer. She has received many awards, including the South African Translators’ Institute Award for Outstanding Translation.

(58498) Octaviopaz = 1996 VF
Discovered 1996 Nov. 2 by V. S. Casulli at Colleverde.
Octavio Paz Lozano (1914–1998) was a Mexican poet and essayist, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1990.

(59389) Oskarvonmiller = 1999 FF21
Discovered 1999 Mar. 24 by L. Kornoˇs and J. T´oth at Modra.
Oskar von Miller (1855–1934) was a German engineer and founder of Deutsches Museum M¨unchen. He managed and built the then-largest high pressure hydroelectric power station and proposed the world’s first projection planetarium, MODEL I (1925). Name suggested by the Deutsches Museum M¨unchen.

(60609) Kerryprice = 2000 EA175
Discovered 2000 Mar. 2 by the Catalina Sky Survey.
Kerry Price (b. 1939) is an accomplished jazz singer who has performed with numerous dixieland jazz bands in southern Michigan over the last 50 years. She is also the music director for a church in suburban Detroit, Michigan.

(60614) Tomshea = 2000 EU198
Discovered 2000 Mar. 1 by the Catalina Sky Survey.
Thomas William Shea (1931–1982) was an American ragtime composer best known for his “prairie ragtime” style and the more than 20 “rags” he composed. He was active in ragtime and jazz in the Detroit, Michigan area throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

(66583) Nicandra = 1999 RL156
Discovered 1999 Sept. 9 by the Lincoln Laboratory Near-Earth Asteroid Research Team at Socorro.
Named for a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family containing the single species Nicandra physalodes. While the genus is named for Greek poet Nicander, it is known by the common names “apple-of-Peru” and “shoo-fly plant.” Its flowers are bell-shaped, pale violet with white throats.

(73686) Nussdorf = 1990 TV1
Discovered 1990 Oct. 10 by L. D. Schmadel and F. B¨orngen at Tautenburg.
Named after the abundant walnut trees, Nussdorf is a village in south-western Germany’s Palatinate. Nussdorf was first mentioned in the year 802 and is well known for its wine-growing tradition and for its pursuit for harmony between nature and culture.

(73699) Landaupfalz = 1991 TH3
Discovered 1991 Oct. 4 by L. D. Schmadel and F. B¨orngen at Tautenburg.
Landau/Pfalz is a German university town in southern Rhineland-Palatinate, embedded in vineyards and surrounded by wine-growing villages. First mentioned in 1106, Landau became one of Europe’s strongest citadels under French rule in the 17th century. Landau has a rich landscape of gardens and parks.

(73701) Siegfriedbauer = 1991 TU5
Discovered 1991 Oct. 3 by L. D. Schmadel and F. B¨orngen at Tautenburg.
Siegfried J. Bauer (b. 1930) is professor emeritus of meteorology and geophysics at the University of Graz, Austria. He was Associate Director of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and is a full member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. His research focuses on the atmospheres of Venus, Mars and Titan.

(79826) Finardi = 1998 WP2
Discovered 1998 Nov. 17 by V. Goretti at Pianoro.
Eugenio Finardi (b. 1952), is a famous Italian blues and pop rock singer. He is a great lover of astronomy and he has composed many popular space-related songs.

(84015) Efthymiopoulos = 2002 PV34
Discovered 2002 Aug. 5 by CINEOS at Campo Imperatore.
Christos Efthymiopoulos (b. 1971) is Research Director at the Research Center for Astronomy of the Academy of Athens, and teaches Dynamical Astronomy at the Physics Department of the University of Athens. He has served as Vice-President of the Hellenic Astronomical Society.

(100433) Hyakusyuko = 1996 KU1
Discovered 1996 May 24 by T. Okuni at Nanyo.
Nagai Hyakusyuko is the name of the dam lake in Nagai city, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. It was completed in March 2011 and is a popular tourist spot.

(100732) Blankavalois = 1998 DQ
Discovered 1998 Feb. 19 by M. Tich´y at Kleˇt.
Blanka (or Blanche) de Valois (1316–1348) was the first wife of Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia Charles IV. They were married as children in 1329. Blanche gave birth to two daughters. Blanche’s brother became Philip VI, King of France.

(100733) Annafalck´a = 1998 DA1
Discovered 1998 Feb. 18 by M. Tich´y at Kleˇt.
Anna Falck´a (or Anne of the Palatinate, 1329–1353) was the second wife of Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia Charles IV. In 1350 she gave birth to a longdesired son, Wenceslaus, who, unfortunately, died a year later.

(100734) Annasv´ıdnick´a = 1998 DB1
Discovered 1998 Feb. 18 by M. Tich´y at Kleˇt.
Anna Sv´ıdnick´a (or Anna Swidnicka or von Schweidnitz, 1339–1362) was the third wife of Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia Charles IV. In 1361 she bore the desired successor to the throne, later King of Bohemia Wenceslaus IV.

(120741) Iijimayuichi = 1997 UJ22
Discovered 1997 Oct. 26 by N. Sato at Chichibu.
Yuichi Iijima (1968–2012) was a Japanese aerospace system engineer of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, who was one of the key members of the Japanese lunar orbiter SELENE.

(126780) Ivovasiljev = 2002 EP7
Discovered 2002 Mar. 10 by KLENOT at Kleˇt.
Ivo Vasiljev (b. 1935) is a Czech linguist, translator, teacher and orientalist dealing with the Korean, Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese languages. He co-authored The Czech-Vietnamese Learner’s Dictionary, and he participates in the work of the Linguistic Circle of Prague.

(126888) Tspitzer = 2002 EO100
Discovered 2002 Mar. 5 by the Catalina Sky Survey.
Thomas J. Spitzer (b. 1957) was the Electrical Power Systems Engineer on more than a dozen Goddard missions, including the highly successful Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter that re-mapped the moon, as well as the NASA OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission.

(129187) Danielalfred = 2005 LB50
Discovered 2005 June 11 by the Catalina Sky Survey.
Daniel Alfred (b. 1985) was the lead thermal engineer on OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission OCAMS camera system. He also worked as a Honeywell Aerospace mechanical engineer.

(134134) Kristoferdrozd = 2005 AU21
Discovered 2005 Jan. 6 by the Catalina Sky Survey.
Kristofer Drozd (b. 1993) is a systems engineering graduate student at the University of Arizona. On the OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission, he was on the team tasked with testing the performance of the stereophotoclinometry software used for mapping and optical navigation.

(136432) Allenlunsford = 2005 EW20
Discovered 2005 Mar. 3 by the Catalina Sky Survey.
Allen Lunsford (b. 1968) is the OSIRIS-REx Visible and near InfraRed Spectrometer (OVIRS) algorithm lead, developing all instrument operation and calibration software, as well as leading testing. He also had roles on the New Horizons Ralph, Landsat 8 TIRS and Landsat 9 TIRS instruments.

(157693) Amandamarty = 2006 AB
Discovered 2006 Jan. 2 by A. Lowe at Mayhill.
Amanda Nicole Zawada (b. 1987) and Martin Peter Mackinlay (b. 1988) are geologists in Brisbane, Australia. Their engagement occurred on January 2, 2016, the ten-year anniversary of the discovery of this minor planet.

(175152) Marthafarkas = 2005 ET37
Discovered 2005 Mar. 3 by T. Glinos and D. Levy at the Jarnac Observatory, Vail.
Martha Farkas (b. 1959) is one of Canada’s most experienced amateur astronomers. Farkas prefers traditional visual observing of solar system and deep sky objects using small telescopes. She is an active participant in Ottawa area astronomy events and an enthusiastic promoter of the Adirondack Astronomy Retreat.

(175730) Gramastetten = 1998 DM1
Discovered 1998 Feb. 18 at Linz.
Nestled in the beautiful landscape of Muehlviertel (Upper Austria), Gramastetten is a resort for relaxing and for pleasure trips. Gramastetten is the site of an observatory outpost of the Linz public observatory.

(176014) Vedrana = 2000 RS106
Discovered 2000 Sept. 3 by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey at Apache Point.
Vedrana Ivezic (b. 2000), is an American amateur astronomer, oboe player and the daughter of SDSS team member Zeljko Ivezic.

(187531) Omorichugakkou = 2006 UM63
Discovered 2006 Oct. 20 by Y. Sorimachi and A. Nakajima at Nyukasa.
Omorichugakkou is the name of the junior high school in Suzaka-shi, Nagano prefecture, Japan. Students discovered this minor planet during one of the commemoration events for the 60th anniversary of the school’s founding.

(213255) Kimiyayui = 2001 EZ15
Discovered 2001 Mar. 15 by A. Nakamura at Kuma Kogen.
Enthusiastic amateur astronomer Kimiya Yui (b. 1970) was selected to be an astronaut candidate by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency in 2009, and was certified as an International Space Station (ISS) astronaut in 2011. On July 22, 2015, he flew to ISS and stayed in space for 141 days.

(219067) Bossuet = 1997 JB18
Discovered 1997 May 3 by E. W. Elst at the European Southern Observatory.
Jacques-B´enigne Bossuet (1627–1704), a French bishop and orator at the Cathedral of Meaux, is famous for his Discourse on Universal History (1681), written in a masterly French style.

(227152) Shujinakamura = 2005 PJ20
Discovered 2005 Aug. 5 by V. S. Casulli at Vallemare Borbona.
Shuji Nakamura (b. 1954) is a Japanese physicist who received the 2014 Nobel Prize for Physics for his discovery of neutrino oscillations, showing that the neutrino has mass.

(239716) Felixbaumgartner = 2009 BF12
Discovered 2009 Jan. 25 by R. Gierlinger at Gaisberg.
Felix Baumgartner (b. 1969) is an Austrian skydiver, extreme athlete and BASE jumper. He is known for his record-breaking free-fall parachute jump from an altitude of 39 km in 2012

(246821) Satyarthi = 2009 QW33
Discovered 2009 Aug. 27 by V. S. Casulli at Vallemare Borbona.
Kailash Satyarthi (b. 1954) is an Indian electrical engineer who received the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize for for his advocacy of children’s rights and education and for his fight against child labor.

(255598) Paullauterbur = 2006 PE1
Discovered 2006 Aug. 13 by V. S. Casulli at Vallemare Borbona.
Paul Christian Lauterbur (1929–2007) was an American chemist who shared the 2003 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for discoveries that made possible the development of magnetic resonance imaging.

(276568) Joest¨ubler = 2003 ST217
Discovered 2003 Sept. 27 at Linz.
Johannes St¨ubler (b. 1958), an active amateur astronomer for decades, has been involved in public outreach activities in many national and international astronomical organizations, including the IAU. He has been a member of the Linzer Astronomische Gemeinschaft since 1979.

(284029) Esplugafrancoli = 2004 XQ16
Discovered 2004 Dec. 10 by J. Manteca at Begues.
The Italian city of Espluga de Francoli, Tarragona province, is famous for its long and deep cave systems.

(292872) Anoushankar = 2006 VV12
Discovered 2006 Nov. 12 by V. S. Casulli at Vallemare Borbona.
Anoushka Shankar (b. 1981) is an Indian sitar musician and composer.

(314808) Martindutertre = 2006 TQ105
Discovered 2006 Oct. 15 by L. Tesi and G. Fagioli at San Marcello.
St Martin-du-tertre is a French town to the north of Paris that is twinned with the municipality of San Marcello, the discovery site for this minor planet.

(346886) Middelburg = 2009 MB
Discovered 1999 Nov. 15 by E. W. Elst at Uccle.
Middelburg is an old Dutch city on the isle of Walcheren in the province of Zeeland that was built as a fortress against the Vikings. In the Middle Ages it was an important trading center between Flanders, France and England.

(352860) Monflier = 2008 WY96
Discovered 2008 Nov. 30 by M. Ory at Vicques.
Bruno Monflier (b. 1947) is an active promoter of scientific outreach in astronomy in France and abroad. He is the founder of “La Ferme des Etoiles”, where numerous astronomy classes are held for varied audiences. Since 1991, “La Ferme des Etoiles” has been organizing the well-known Festival d’Astronomie de Fleurance.

(391257) Wilwheaton = 2006 RL1
Discovered 2006 Sept. 12 by T. Pauwels at Uccle.
Richard William “Wil” Wheaton III (b. 1972) is an American actor and writer, best known for his role as Wesley Crusher on the television series “Star Trek: The Next Generation”. He also has a long track record of supporting various charity organizations, such as the Pasadena Humane Society and Project UROK.

(398045) Vitudurum = 2009 FN19
Discovered 2009 Mar. 21 by M. Griesser at Winterthur.
Vitudurum was a Roman neighborhood that was built around 1 CE in today’s district of Oberwinterthur in the Swiss city of Winterthur. From 294 CE, a fort protected the settlement from raids by the Alemanni. Name suggested by Sina Lautenschlager.

(418891) Vizi = 2008 YK148
Discovered 2008 Dec. 31 by K. S´arneczky at Piszk´estet˝o.
Szilveszter E. Vizi (b. 1936) is a Hungarian physician, neuroscientist, pharmacologist and university professor, who served as President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences between 2002 and 2008. He is the winner of the 2016 Honoris causa science communication award of the Club of Hungarian Science Journalists.

(429084) Dietrichrex = 2009 RN27
Discovered 2009 Sept. 13 by M. Busch and R. Kresken at ESA OGS.
Dietrich Rex (1934–2016) was a German physicist, university professor and head of the Spaceflight and Reactor Technology Institute of the Technical University of Braunschweig. He pioneered space debris research in Europe and fostered world-wide cooperation in the field.

(456677) Yepeijian = 2007 RM119
Discovered 2007 Sept. 11 by PMO NEO Survey Program at XuYi.
Ye Peijian (b. 1945), an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, specializes in spacecraft and information processing. As chief designer and adviser, he made pioneering contributions to the development of remote sensing, lunar and space exploration and space science in China.

(458063) Gustavomuler = 2009 YB7
Discovered 2009 Dec. 21 by E. Schwab at Tzec Maun.
Gustavo Muler (b. 1967) is a Spanish amateur astronomer, born in Argentina. He has discovered numerous minor planets at his private observatory Nazaret on Lanzarote Island and in 2007 he confirmed the outburst of Comet 17P/Holmes. He made follow-up observations of this minor planet.

Source: http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/ECS/MPCArchive/2017/MPC_20170112.pdf