Meanings of minor planet names: 25001–26000
As minor planet discoveries are confirmed, they are given a permanent number by the IAU's Minor Planet Center, and the discoverers can then submit names for them, following the IAU's naming conventions. The list below concerns those minor planets in the specified span of numbers that have received names, and explains the meanings of those names. Besides the Minor Planet Circulars (in which the citations are published), a key source is Lutz D. Schmadel's Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. Meanings that do not quote a reference (the "†" links) are tentative.
Minor planets not yet given a name have not been included in this list.
| Name | Provisional Designation | Source of Name |
|---|---|---|
| 25001–25100 | ||
| 25001 Pacheco | 1998 OW6 | Rafael Pacheco (b. 1954), an amateur astronomer, astrometrist and co-discoverer of minor planets. † |
| 25014 Christinepalau | 1998 QT | Christine Palau (born 1964), a computer specialist who worked on an artificial-intelligence industrial project. † |
| 25018 Valbousquet | 1998 QN6 | Franck Valbousquet (b. 1959), a French optician and amateur astronomer. † |
| 25019 Walentosky | 1998 QO10 | Matthew James Walentosky, American 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his physics and astronomy project. † |
| 25020 Tinyacheng | 1998 QY13 | Tinya Cheng, American 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for her physics and astronomy team project. † |
| 25021 Nischaykumar | 1998 QV17 | Nischay Kumar, American 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his physics and astronomy team project. † |
| 25022 Hemalibatra | 1998 QK18 | Hemali Chandramohan Batra, American 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for her plant sciences project. † |
| 25023 Sundaresh | 1998 QA19 | Sushant Sundaresh, American 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his plant sciences project. † |
| 25024 Calebmcgraw | 1998 QL19 | Caleb John McGraw, American 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his plant sciences team project. † |
| 25025 Joshuavo | 1998 QW20 | Joshua Tristan Vo, American 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his plant sciences team project. † |
| 25029 Ludwighesse | 1998 QO28 | Ludwig Otto Hesse, 19th-century German mathematician † |
| 25032 Randallray | 1998 QV31 | Randall Scott Ray, American 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his plant sciences team project. † |
| 25034 Lesliemarie | 1998 QS32 | Leslie Marie Young, American 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for her plant sciences team project. † |
| 25035 Scalesse | 1998 QN33 | Carlie Alexandra Scalesse, Canadian 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for her animal sciences project. † |
| 25036 Elizabethof | 1998 QT36 | Elizabeth Olson Ferreira, Canadian 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for her animal sciences project. † |
| 25038 Matebezdek | 1998 QK37 | Mate Jozsef Bezdek, Canadian 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his mathematical sciences project. † |
| 25039 Chensun | 1998 QF38 | Chen Sun, Canadian 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his microbiology project. † |
| 25042 Qiujun | 1998 QN42 | Qiu Jun, Chinese 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his electrical and mechanical engineering project. † |
| 25043 Fangxing | 1998 QQ42 | Fang Xing, Chinese 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his materials and bioengineering project. † |
| 25045 Baixuefei | 1998 QU43 | Bai Xuefei, Chinese 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for her plant sciences project. † |
| 25046 Suyihan | 1998 QK44 | Su Yi-Han, Chinese (Taiwanese) 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner for her chemistry project and the recipient of the Intel Foundation Young Scientist Award. † |
| 25047 Tsuitehsin | 1998 QN44 | Tsui Te Hsin, Chinese (Taiwanese) 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for her physics and astronomy project. † |
| 25049 Christofnorn | 1998 QS45 | Christoffer Norn, Danish 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his energy and transportation project. † |
| 25050 Michmadsen | 1998 QN50 | Michael Kaergaard Madsen, Danish 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his environmental sciences team project. † |
| 25051 Vass | 1998 QE53 | Gheorghe Vass (b. 1944), an astronomer at the Astronomical Institute of the Romanian Academy. † |
| 25052 Rudawska | 1998 QG54 | Regina Rudawska (b. 1979), a postdoctoral fellow at Comenius University in Bratislava. † |
| 25053 Matthewknight | 1998 QB55 | Matthew M. Knight (b. 1978), an astronomer at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. † |
| 25058 Shanegould | 1998 QO63 | Shane Gould, Australian olympic swimmer † |
| 25062 Rasmussen | 1998 QH71 | Jesper Lykke Rasmussen, Danish 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his environmental sciences team project. † |
| 25065 Lautakkin | 1998 QW85 | Lau Tak Kin, Chinese 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his electrical and mechanical engineering team project. † |
| 25073 Lautakshing | 1998 QM94 | Lau Tak Shing, Chinese 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his electrical and mechanical engineering team project. † |
| 25074 Honami | 1998 QF96 | Sakaguchi Honami, Japanese 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for her animal sciences project. † |
| 25075 Kiyomoto | 1998 QK98 | Kiyomoto Daisuke, Japanese 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his energy and transportation team project. † |
| 25082 Williamhodge | 1998 RP1 | William Hodge (1903-1975) studied at Edinburgh and Cambridge and in 1936 was elected to the Lowndean chair of astronomy and geometry at Cambridge. His mathematical work was in algebraic geometry, specifically the theory of harmonic integrals and their applications to analysis. † |
| 25084 Jutzi | 1998 RP5 | Martin Jutzi (b. 1979), a researcher at the University of Bern. † |
| 25087 Kaztaniguchi | 1998 RK17 | Taniguchi Kazushige, Japanese 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his energy and transportation team project. † |
| 25088 Yoshimura | 1998 RR19 | Yoshimura Fumiya, Japanese 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his energy and transportation team project. † |
| 25089 Sanabria-Rivera | 1998 RN25 | Betsaira Sanabria-Rivera, American (Puerto Rican) 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for her biochemistry team project. † |
| 25091 Sanchez-Claudio | 1998 RH41 | Alex Antonio Sanchez-Claudio, American (Puerto Rican) 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his biochemistry team project. † |
| 25093 Andmikhaylov | 1998 RO45 | Andrey A. Mikhaylov, Russian 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his chemistry team project. † |
| 25094 Zemtsov | 1998 RF46 | Artem A. Zemtsov, Russian 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his chemistry team project. † |
| 25095 Churinov | 1998 RT46 | Andrey Anatolievich Churinov, Russian 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his computer science team project. † |
| 25098 Gridnev | 1998 RQ47 | Maxim Gennadievich Gridnev, Russian 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his computer science team project. † |
| 25099 Mashinskiy | 1998 RS47 | Leonid Andreevich Mashinskiy, Russian 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his computer science team project. † |
| 25100 Zhaiweichao | 1998 RY47 | Zhai Weichao, Singaporean 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for her materials and bioengineering team project. † |
| 25101–25200 | ||
| 25102 Zhaoye | 1998 RW50 | Zhao Ye, Singaporean 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for her materials and bioengineering team project. † |
| 25103 Kimdongyoung | 1998 RC51 | Kim Dongyoung, South-Korean 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner for his computer science project and recipient of a Seaborg Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar (SIYSS) award † |
| 25104 Chohyunghoon | 1998 RY51 | Cho Hyunghoon, South-Korean 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his microbiology team project. † |
| 25105 Kimnayeon | 1998 RJ52 | Kim Na Yeon, South-Korean 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for her microbiology team project. † |
| 25106 Ryoojungmin | 1998 RC53 | Ryoo Jung Min, South-Korean 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for her microbiology team project. † |
| 25108 Boström | 1998 RV55 | Johan Ingemar Boström, Swedish 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his animal sciences team project. † |
| 25109 Hofving | 1998 RR56 | Tobias Olof Hofving, Swedish 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his animal sciences team project. † |
| 25111 Klokun | 1998 RG64 | Vitaliy Mykhaylovych Klokun, Ukrainian 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his chemistry team project. † |
| 25112 Mymeshkovych | 1998 RL65 | Maryna Yuriivna Meshkovych, Ukrainian 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for her chemistry team project. † |
| 25113 Benwasserman | 1998 RS65 | Benjamin David Wasserman, American 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his behavioral and social sciences project. † |
| 25115 Drago | 1998 RP66 | Claire Elizabeth Drago, American 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for her behavioral and social sciences team project. † |
| 25116 Jonathanwang | 1998 RW68 | Jonathan Wang, American 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner for his medicine and health sciences team project and recipient of the European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS) Award † |
| 25118 Kevlin | 1998 RM71 | Kevin Huang Lin, American 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for his microbiology project. † |
| 25119 Kakani | 1998 RA72 | Pragya Kakani, American 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for her physics and astronomy team project. † |
| 25120 Yvetteleung | 1998 RN73 | Yvette Leung, American 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for her physics and astronomy team project. † |
| 25122 Kaitlingus | 1998 RJ77 | Kaitlyn Jeanne Lingus, American 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner, for her plant sciences project. † |
| 25124 Zahramaarouf | 1998 RC78 | Zahra Moein Maarouf, Lebanese 2007 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) winner for her computer science team project. † |
| 25127 Laurentbrunetto | 1998 SZ | Laurent Brunetto (b. 1972), a physics professor in Antibes, France. † |
| 25129 Uranoscope | 1998 SP1 | Uranoscope, a French amateur observatory, created in 1983 by Christian Bourdeille in Gretz Armainvilliers, near Paris. † |
| 25131 Katiemelua | 1998 SY3 | Katie Melua (b. 1984), a Georgian-born British singer, songwriter and musician whose songs have included astronomical culture. † |
| 25138 Jaumann | 1998 SM24 | Ralf Jaumann (b. 1954), a research scientist at the Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt and a member of the geology working group for the Dawn mission to Vesta. † |
| 25139 Roatsch | 1998 SN25 | Thomas Roatsch (b. 1958), a cartographer of planetary satellite and asteroid surfaces. † |
| 25140 Schmedemann | 1998 SU25 | Nico Schmedemann (b. 1978), a researcher at the Institute of Geological Sciences, Freie Universität in Berlin. † |
| 25142 Hopf | 1998 SA28 | Heinz Hopf (1894-1971), a professor of mathematics at the Swiss Institute of Technology in Zurich. † |
| 25143 Itokawa | 1998 SF36 | Hideo Itokawa, Japanese rocket scientist. He is regarded as the Father of Japanese rocketry. † |
| 25151 Stefanschröder | 1998 SS53 | Stefan E. Schröder (b. 1970), a planetary imaging specialist at the Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) in Berlin. † |
| 25152 Toplis | 1998 SX53 | Michael J. Toplis (b. 1969), a geochemist at the University of Toulouse. † |
| 25201–25300 | ||
| 25216 Enricobernardi | 1998 TU1 | Enrico Bernardi (1841-1919), professor of mechanics. † |
| 25237 Hurwitz | 1998 UG7 | Adolf Hurwitz, German mathematician † |
| 25240 Qiansanqiang | 1998 UO8 | Sanqiang Qiang, 20th-century Chinese nuclear scientist and member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, one of the founders of China's atomic energy program † |
| 25258 Nathaniel | 1998 VU | Nathaniel Brian Marsden, second grandson of Minor Planet Center director Brian G. Marsden (the asteroid was discovered on his first birthday) † |
| 25273 Barrycarole | 1998 VN32 | Barry Paul Keith Griffin (b. 1943) and Carole Anne Griffin (b. 1944), the parents of the discoverer. † |
| 25275 Jocelynbell | 1998 VF33 | Susan Jocelyn Bell Burnell, British astrophysicist, co-discoverer of the first radio pulsar in 1967 † |
| 25276 Dimai | 1998 VJ33 | Alessandro Dimai, Italian amateur astronomer and friend of the discoverer † |
| 25300 Andyromine | 1998 VJ33 | Andrew Romine, 2008 SSP/MSP national science fair finalist† |
| 25301–25400 | ||
| 25301 Ambrofogar | 1998 XZ2 | Ambrogio Fogar, Italian sailor (yachtsman), explorer and author ‡ |
| 25302 Niim | 1998 XW3 | Yoshihiro Niim, Japanese space engineer † |
| 25331 Berrevoets | 1999 KY4 | Cor Berrevoets, Dutch developer of Registax, astronomical image-processing freeware † |
| 25340 Segoves | 1999 RX31 | Segovesus, Central European Celtic prince † ‡ |
| 25384 Partizánske | 1999 UW1 | Partizánske, western Slovakia (originally Symoni), home to a public observatory † |
| 25399 Vonnegut | 1999 VN20 | Kurt Vonnegut (b. 1922), a revolutionary U.S. science-fiction writer who crossed over into mainstream literature and is often referred to as the "Mark Twain of the second half of the twentieth century". † |
| 25401–25500 | ||
| 25434 Westonia | 1999 WS2 | Elizabeth Jane Weston (1581–1612), known as "Westonia", was an English-Czech poet, known mostly for her Neo-Latin poetry. Her Parthenicon was published in 1608. She is considered the first female Czech poet. † |
| 25472 Joanoro | 1999 XL36 | Joan Oro, Spanish (Catalonian)-American biologist and public science advocate † |
| 25501–25600 | ||
| 25593 Camillejordan | 1999 YA5 | Camille Jordan (1838-1921), a French mathematician. † |
| 25594 Kessler | 1999 YA9 | Marvin Kessler, American member of the Northeast Kansas Amateur Astronomer's League † |
| 25601–25700 | ||
| 25601 Francopacini | 2000 AX2 | Franco Pacini, Italian astrophysicist † |
| 25602 Ucaronia | 2000 AA3 | Umberto Caronia, father of co-discoverer Alfredo Caronia † |
| 25604 Karlin | 2000 AM6 | Samuel Karlin, American statistician and mathematician, member of the National Academy of Sciences and recipient of the National Medal of Science † |
| 25624 Kronecker | 2000 AK48 | Leopold Kronecker, German mathematician. † |
| 25625 Verdenet | 2000 AN48 | Michel Verdenet, French amateur astronomer, chairman of the Association française des observateurs d'étoiles variables (AFOÉV, French Association of Variable Star Observers) † ‡ + |
| 25628 Kummer | 2000 AZ50 | Ernst Eduard Kummer, 19th-century German mathematician † |
| 25701–25800 | ||
| 25760 Annaspitz | 2000 BF34 | Anna Spitz (born 1954) is Education and Public Outreach Lead for the NASA OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission † |
| 25778 Csere | 2000 CQ34 | Elemír Csere, 20th-century Slovak amateur astronomer, founder of the public observatory in Hlohovec and its first director † |
| 25800 Glukhovsky | 2000 CG83 | Lisa Doreen Glukhovsky, a finalist in the 2004 Intel Science Talent Search, a winner in the 2003 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, and recipient of the Intel Foundation Young Scientist Award † |
| 25801–25900 | ||
| 25835 Tomzega | 2000 EO20 | Tom Zega (born 1973), a scientist at the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. † |
| 25858 Donherbert | 2000 EO204 | Don Herbert (aka "Mr. Wizard", 1917–2007) was the creator and host of Watch Mr. Wizard and Mr. Wizard's World, programs that brought science to millions of children from 1950 to 1990 and that inspired generations of budding scientists. † |
| 25864 Banič | 2000 GR82 | Štefan Banič, 19th-20th-century Slovak-American inventor of the parachute † |
| 25890 Louisburg | 2000 VG38 | Louisburg, Kansas, home of the Powell Observatory † |
| 25893 Sugihara | 2000 WR9 | Chiune Sugihara, Japanese diplomat in Lithuania, who defied orders and assisted asylum-seekers fleeing Nazi persecution in Europe during World War II † |
| 25901–26000 | ||
| 25924 Douglasadams | 2001 DA42 | Douglas Adams, 20th-century British author; the provisional designation for this asteroid references the year of his death, his initials, and the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything (42), as given in his novel serial The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy † |
| 25930 Spielberg | 2001 DJ54 | Steven Spielberg, American film director † |
| Preceded by 24,001–25,000 |
Meanings of minor planet names List of minor planets: 25,001–26,000 |
Succeeded by 26,001–27,000 |