(8990) Compassion = 1980 DN
Discovered 1980 Feb. 19 at the Kleť Observatory.
Named by the Committee for Small-Body Nomenclature to honor the
compassion of people around the world for the friends and families of the
victims of disasters, exemplified by the terrorist attacks on New York
and Washington on 2001 Sept. 11, with the hope that they will overcome
their sorrow.
(MPC 43684 – 2001 October 2)
The terrible events three weeks ago today have prompted several correspondents
to propose that minor planets be named to honor the victims. Deeply
sympathetic to this desire, but as an independent action, the IAU Committee
for Small-Body Nomenclature has unanimously agreed to name
three minor planets for concepts that represent some of the most basic
and universal human values. The resulting names and citations, on MPC 43684,
for the consecutively numbered minor planets (8990), (8991) and (8992),
which were discovered at observatories on three continents, are intended as
a positive statement abhorring the tragedy that occurred on a fourth. The 13
members of the CSBN represent the United States, the European Union, China,
Russia, Japan, Norway, the Czech Republic, Uruguay and New Zealand.
(Minor Planet Circular 43423, 2001 October 2)
(8991) Solidarity = 1980 PV1
Discovered 1980 Aug. 6 at the European Southern Observatory.
Named by the Committee for Small-Body Nomenclature to honor the
solidarity of people around the world with both victims and survivors
of terrorist attacks like those on New York and Washington on 2001
Sept. 11, in the goal of eliminating terrorism from the world.
(8992) Magnanimity = 1980 TE7
Discovered 1980 Oct 14 at the Purple Mountain Observatory.
Named by the Committee for Small-Body Nomenclature to honor the
magnanimity of people around the world in dealing with terrorist attacks
like those on New York and Washington on 2001 Sept. 11, in the hope
that terrorism will be countered with justice for all, not with revenge.
(Minor Planet Circular 43684, 2001 October 2)
The image of minor planet (8990) Compassion was taken on 1998 May 1 with 0.57-m f/5.2 reflector
+ CCD camera SBIG ST-8 of the Klet' Observatory and is 120 seconds exposure.
The field of view is 16 to 10 arcminutes with north to the top
and west to the right.
Minor planet is arrowed.
Observers Jana Ticha and Milos Tichy
(c) 2001, Klet' Observatory (http://www.klet.org)
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