2 Scientists Name Asteroid for Nev. Town
Posted on: Thursday, 12 October 2006, 07:11 CDT
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Two Utah scientists who discovered an undocumented asteroid outside the orbit of Mars have won approval to name it for Elko, a Nevada town.
Patrick Wiggins and Holly Phaneuf were given the right to name it, and Wiggins chose the town where he was born.
"It was discovered quite by accident," said Wiggins, NASA's solar system ambassador to Utah and northeastern Nevada.
The two spotted the asteroid on Nov. 2, 1999, and gave it the temporary name of UOFU03, for University of Utah object No. 3. The International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center in France quickly confirmed the discovery and earlier this year gave it a designation as the 80,180th numbered asteroid.
Wiggins earlier had submitted Holly Phaneuf's name, but the IAU refused, saying asteroids cannot be named for their discoverers. In August, it approved the new name - Elko, the Deseret Morning News reported.
Wiggins cited several reasons for naming the asteroid after the town founded in the 19th century, including the annual National Cowboy Festival and National Basque Festival.
It takes Elko about 41 months to orbit the sun and is estimated to be 1 to 3 kilometers in diameter, Wiggins said. He said Elko's orbit remains outside the orbit of Mars and never comes close to Earth.
---
Information from Deseret Morning News: http://www.deseretnews.com
Related Articles
- Mass. towns release dog name lists
- Asteroid to Make Close Flyby of Earth
- Canceled Mission Gets Review
- NASA Reviews Canceled Asteroid Mission
- Scientists Lament Canceled NASA Mission
- State Names New Official to Oversee Utah Schools
- Hospital in Draper Named for Summit
- Venus, Jupiter Seem Headed for 'Near Miss'
- Qwest Reacts to Growing Competition in the Business
 |
 |
User Comments (0)
RSS Feeds