Tsinghua Asteroid Named

By Alice Feng, Special to Tsinghua News Center

In a week of centenary festivities, Tsinghua University celebrated its claim in April to the 16982 asteroid, now recognised as 'Tsinghua Minor Planet' by the International Astronomical Union. Tsinghua applied for the name assignment in honour of its 100th Anniversary. Tsinghua (16982) was discovered on January 10, 1999 in Xinglong, Hebei Province, under the Beijing Schmidt CCD Asteroid Programme, now merged with the National Astronomical Observatories, funded by the National Academy of Sciences.

Zhou Xu, head of the research group credited with the asteroid's discovery, appeared that afternoon with Secretary of the Party Committee Liu Xiaoqun, Director Yan Jun, and Vice Director Zhen Xiaonian of the NAOC, as well as with Tsinghua University Council Chairman Hu Heping and Tsinghua University Vice Chairperson Han Jingyang. Together they unveiled a stainless steel commemorative statue designed by the Art and Design Academy, Tsinghua University. During his remarks, Hu Heping explained that the two-meter statue embodies the principle of 'tian yuan di fang', an expression of yin-yang philosophical principles which had influenced the architecture of the Temple of Heaven and the Temple of Earth in Beijing.

Tsinghua joins Beijing University, Beijing Normal University, and other major universities which have assigned their names to asteroids discovered in China. Those names are judged according to strict guidelines by the Committee for Small Body Nomenclature under the International Astronomical Union. A newly discovered minor planet is first given a provisional designation, followed by a permanent numerical designation after many months of observation. The privilege of suggesting a name for the newly recognised minor planet is given to the discoverer(s). Once approved, the minor planet is registered by the Minor Planet Centre and published in Minor Planet Circulars where its name becomes official.

(Photo by Guo Haijun)