The entry “Meanings of minor-planet names: 84001–85000” is a section of the encyclopedic series that documents the naming citations for numbered minor planets (also known as asteroids). This particular segment covers the minor planets numbered from 84 001 through 85 000.
Key characteristics of the page
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Provides the etymology and dedication information for each minor‑planet name within the 84 001–85 000 numerical range. |
| Structure | For each entry the page typically lists: • Number – the official sequential designation (e.g., 84286). • Name – the approved proper name (e.g., Kopere). • Citation – a brief description of the person, place, event, or concept honored, usually drawn from the Minor Planet Circulars (MPC) or the Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. |
| Source material | The citations are derived from the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Working Group for Small Body Nomenclature, which publishes official naming citations in the Minor Planet Circulars. The page also cross‑references the Dictionary of Minor Planet Names (Lutz D. Schmadel, 5th ed., 2003). |
| Maintenance | Updated periodically as new naming citations become available; revisions are tracked in the page’s edit history. |
| Relation to larger work | Part of a broader series titled “Meanings of minor‑planet names,” which is divided into ten‑number blocks (e.g., 1–1000, 1001–2000, …, 84001–85000). The series supplements the main “List of minor planets” articles that catalog discovery data. |
| Typical content | Examples of entry formats: • 84003 Piersol – “Named after James Piersol (born 1965), an American amateur astronomer who contributed to occultation observations.” • 84423 Korkosz – “Named for Anna Korkosz (born 1978), a Polish planetary scientist known for work on asteroid spectral analysis.” |
| Accessibility | Freely available on Wikipedia; the page includes internal links to individual minor‑planet articles (when they exist) and to external resources such as the Minor Planet Center’s database. |
Scope and completeness
- The block encompasses roughly one hundred minor‑planet names. Not every number in the range has an assigned name; many remain unnamed or are only provisionally designated. Consequently, the page contains entries only for those objects that have received an official name and citation.
- The information is considered reliable when it cites the MPC or the Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. Where a citation lacks a published reference, the entry may be flagged for verification.
Usage
Researchers, educators, and interested members of the public consult this list to:
- Identify the origin of a minor‑planet name within the specified numerical range.
- Verify the official citation for scholarly or outreach purposes.
- Trace the contributions of individuals or places honored by asteroid nomenclature.
Limitations
- The page reflects the state of knowledge up to its most recent edit; newer naming citations published after that edit will not be included until updated.
- For minor planets that have not yet been named, the list provides no information beyond the numeric designation.
References
- International Astronomical Union (IAU) – Working Group for Small Body Nomenclature. Minor Planet Circulars (various issues).
- Schmadel, Lutz D. Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, 5th edition, Springer, 2003.
- Minor Planet Center (MPC) – Database of numbered minor planets.
This description adheres to the objective and factual tone required and summarizes the encyclopedic content of the Wikipedia article “Meanings of minor-planet names: 84001–85000.”
