Asteroid Zoo Talk

If you find an unknown...

  • fstevens by fstevens

    If you find an unknown asteroid, can you name the asteroid? do you get some sort of credit? how do you "claim it"? thank you.

    Posted

  • DZM by DZM admin

    This seems to be a question at the core of many of the things that have been discussed on Asteroid Zoo (and elsewhere) lately.

    I'm going to pass it along to Dr. Asteroid and see if he can clear this up for good. Thanks!!

    Posted

  • Dr.Asteroid by Dr.Asteroid scientist, admin

    Howdy,

    Well, that all depends on the details. Like everything in this world, there are complications.

    If you find an asteroid that was not previously reported and then it has the criteria met for follow up (at least one apparition later) it becomes a numbered object. Once it is numbered the person that is responsible for reporting it gets the chance to suggest a name to the IAU.

    Here's the FAQ about what happens.

    http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/info/HowNamed.html

    Yes - we are tracking WHO was the first to locate a given asteroid. And that information will be kept and in time something can happen. But for the official naming to occur, that... can take a bit. The IAU is not noted for being a super fast organization.

    Oh. And the guidelines clearly say "Names of pet animals are discouraged".

    People you know - as long as they are not political or military are fine,

    Posted

  • nicro46 by nicro46

    I have one suggestion: for unknown asteroids but with obvious possibility of being classified by the MPC, you might use the nickname of Zootie who first reported it.
    I also think that one could suffice, in the case of more discoveries and that for the other one could use the second discoverer (if it does not become too complicated)

    Posted

  • nicro46 by nicro46

    Of course if colleagues agree.
    I think it would be appropriate that any nominations are promoted by Team AsteroidZoo, to standardize and simplify procedures as much as possible.

    Posted

  • bc2callhome by bc2callhome

    The person who first noticed the new unknown asteroid should be given the chance to name it first

    Posted

  • hightower73 by hightower73

    to me, the fastest and easiest and fairest option would be an abbreviation name, say something like AZOO - username, lets b honest here, without the software here at asteroid zoo, how would we ever find an asteroid, so some of the credit should go to the scientists.

    Posted

  • nicro46 by nicro46

    I see that we agree. If we consider that an amateur astronomer who actually discovered a new asteroid with the telescope must confirm the observation for at least three or four steps and calculate the orbit, before transmitting the data to the Minor Planet Center for the eventual confirmation and that normally the whole can take four or more years, it is evident that this is beyond the ability of the individual Zooties. That said, it is true that we are advantaged by the software that is provided, it is equally true that the 'commitment in terms of time and passion is not negligible.
    The easiest thing would be to leave the team AsteridZoo commissioned to report to the MPC
    username or nickname of the first discoverer and use that for a single asteroid discovered (think of the complication of tens of discoverers for a hundred asteroids and that in many cases the names designate are confined to specific categories). If, for example, will be brought to 1000 cases of
    possible new asteroids, it is likely that a small part will not be confirmed as a part
    will be significant due to asteroids already known and classified in other databases updated.
    Assuming that it remains a hundred candidates almost certain, it follows that it would be fair
    attribute the name of the first discoverer only once in order to satisfy the greatest number of people

    Posted