4866 Badillo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
4866 Badillo is an asteroid named after a Filipino Jesuit astronomer and former director of the Manila Observatory, Fr. Victor L. Badillo.
According to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), minor planet No. 4866 measuring some 13 to 30 kilometers across is now officially known as "Badillo," in honor of the Filipino priest who popularized astronomy in the Philippines.
The IAU, through its 16-member Committee on Small Body Nomenclature, is the sole scientific organization with the authority and responsibility of christening small solar-system bodies such as asteroids and comets.
In the case of minor planets, for centuries they have been traditionally named after mythological figures and geographical places as well as renowned scientists, poets, composers, artists, novelists and other prominent personalities.