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Hayabusa2's target asteroid is now named (162173) Ryugu!
The asteroid 1999 JU3, a target of the Asteroid Explorer “Hayabusa2,Ewas named “RyuguE
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) conducted a naming proposal campaign between July 22 and August 31, 2015. The result of the careful study of proposed names by the selection panel of pundits is as follows.
1. Selected name: Ryugu
2. Selection reasons
- In the Japanese ancient story “Urashima TaroE the main character, Taro Urashima, brought back a casket from the Dragon’s palace, or the “RyuguECastle, at the bottom of ocean. The Hayabusa2 will also bring back a capsule with samples, thus the theme of “bringing back a treasureEis common.
- Rocks containing water are expected to exist on asteroid 1999 JU3. The name “RyuguEalso reminds us of water, as “Ryugu CastleEis under the ocean.
- The name is not similar or identical with any other already existing names of planets or asteroids, and there were many entries for this name among suggested names that are related to mythology.
- According to the naming rule stipulated by the International Asteroid Union (IAU), the name “is preferably from mythologyEand the “RyuguEfits that rule. Also, there is little concern of infringing the Trademark Law or any other third party trademarks.
3. Entries
Total number of entries was 7,336. Among them, 30 were for “RyuguE Some similar ones are “Ryugujyo (meaning Ryugu Castle)E(5 entries), “RyuuGuuE(5), “RyuguuE“RyugujyoEand “RyugujouE(one entry each).
4. Selection panel members
Chair |
Yuichi Takayanagi |
Director, Tamarokuto Science Center |
Jun-ichi Watanabe |
Vice-Director General, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) |
|
Yoshio Tsukio |
Professor Emeritus, the University of Tokyo |
|
Yuichi Tsuda |
"Hayabusa2" Project Manager |
|
Makoto Yoshikawa |
"Hayabusa2" Mission Manager |
5. Decision process after selection
The selected name was proposed to the Lincoln Near Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) Team of the United States, which had the right to suggest the name for 1999 JU3. The LINEAR Team then proposed the name to the IAU, which had the final naming right.
The naming of an asteroid usually takes about three months to review. The review process for the “RyuguEthis time was unprecedentedly quick, and the name was published on September 2015 issue of the Minor Planet Circular by Minor Planet Center, which manages the names of asteroids in the solar system.
Ryugu(1999 JU3) © JAXA
October 9, 2015