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Originally Posted by ballaratdragons
So why isn't it called Asteroid McNaught?
Seems a bit sucky that you discover an Asteroid and they wack someone else's name on it  |
Found in Wikipedia
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3173 McNaught (1981 WY) is a main-belt asteroid discovered on November 24, 1981 by E. Bowell at Flagstaff (AM). Named in honor of Robert H. McNaught.
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Found in Quezi
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The International Astronomical Union's Small Bodies Names Committee is the body officially in charge of governing the names given to asteroids, but the way it works is essentially this: those who discover the asteroid compile a list and present it to the International Astronomical Union's Small Bodies Names Committee. Those suggestions are then whittled down to avoid anything offensive, as well as certain other logistical problems like naming asteroids after living politicians. ... If the discoverer has not presented an acceptable name to the International Astronomical Union's Small Bodies Names Committee after ten years, it pretty much becomes fair game.
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so it's quite possible Rob suggested it himself. The 10 years since discovery hasn't expired.