Asteroid refers to the similar planets in the solar system around the sun movement, but the size and mass of the planet is much smaller than the celestial body.Naming an asteroid needs to ensure that the name is unique. Once it is determined to be permanent and unchangeable, it also makes the naming of an asteroid become an international and permanent honor. After being approved, it will be recognized by all countries in the world and recorded in the annals of astronomy forever.On the occasion of the sixth "China Space Day", let's count the "China Space Stars" in the sky.
Asteroids named after space experts
International permanent number 4179 asteroid, is a near-Earth asteroid with impact threat to Earth.First discovered in 1934, then lost, it was rediscovered by French astronomers in 1989 and named after the Celtic god of war, Tutatis.The study of Tutatis could shed light on the collision and evolution of asteroids in the early solar system. It is also the largest known potential threat to Earth.As a result, the target has been paid much attention by scientists, and the United States has used ground-based radar detection for many times to obtain its physical information.
In 2008, Huang Jiangchuan, a researcher at the China Institute of Space Technology, led a scientific team that planned to let Chang 'e-2 fly by to probe Tutatis.In 2012, Professor Qiao Dong from the Beijing Institute of Technology was invited to join the Chang 'e-2 mission design team to select the target and design the orbit of the Chang 'e-2 flyby probe "Tutatis".
At 16:30 on December 13, 2012, Chang 'e-2 flew into the deep space about 7 million kilometers from the Earth, and passed by "Tutatis" from far to near. The relative distance of the rendezvous was controlled to about 15 kilometers, and the relative speed was nearly 11 kilometers per second.The Chang 'e-2 satellite-borne surveillance camera has made optical imaging of the asteroid, achieving the first international close-up and flyby imaging of the asteroid Toutatis, obtaining important information and data about the asteroid and greatly improving the overall understanding of the scientific community.This is not only the first international flyby of the asteroid Toutatis, but also the first Chinese asteroid exploration mission.
In recognition of Huang and Qiao's contribution to the development of space industry, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) Asteroid Naming Center named the Asteroid 10298 as "Huang Jiangchuan Star" and the Asteroid 11812 as "Qiao Dong".