"The name of academician Zhong Nanshan will be inscribed in the universe and shine in the starry sky!" On the morning of October 11th, the naming ceremony for the "Asteroid Zhong Nanshan" was held in Hengqin, Zhuhai. The asteroid, identified as No. 325136 by the Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has been officially named after Zhong Nanshan, the recipient of the Medal of the Republic and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

According to reporters, the "Asteroid Zhong Nanshan"was discovered on March 2nd, 2008, through the near-Earth object telescope at the Xuyi Observation Station of the Purple Mountain Observatory. It received its permanent designation of 325136 in April 2012. In May 2021, upon the recommendation of the Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation's selection committee and the application by the Purple Mountain Observatory, the International Astronomical Union officially approved the naming of the asteroid 325136 as "Asteroid Zhong Nanshan".

The orbital eccentricity of "Asteroid Zhong Nanshan" is 0.199, with an orbital inclination of 13.159 degrees and a semi-major axis of 2.541 astronomical units. On average, it is about 373 million kilometers away from the Sun and takes approximately 4.05 years to complete one orbit. "Asteroid Zhong Nanshan" travels at a high speed of 1.58 million kilometers a day, equivalent to 18.3 kilometers per second. However, due to its distance of hundreds of millions of kilometers away from Earth, the asteroid seems to move slowly across the night sky when observed from the ground of Earth. The farthest distance Asteroid Zhong Nanshan reaches from Earth is 605 million kilometers, while its closest approach is 155 million kilometers.

It is worth noting that asteroids are the only class of celestial bodies in the solar system that can be named by their discoverers. Once a name is internationally approved, it becomes the permanent name for that celestial body.Carrying both international and historical significance, it represents a prestigious international honor.

According to incomplete statistics, there are currently over a hundred asteroids named after places and persons in China. Among those named after individuals, many are scientists who have made significant contributions to scientific development. Notable ancient Chinese scientists after whom asteroids have been named include Zhang Heng, Zu Chongzhi, Guo Shoujing, and Shen Kuo; While modern Chinese scientists such as Qian Xuesen, Qian Sanqiang, Yuan Longping, Tu Youyou, Nan Rendong, Chen Jingrun, Zhou Guangzhao, Peng Huanwu, Chen Fangyun, Yang Jiachie, Wang Ganchang, Zhu Guangya, Zhao Jiuzhang, Wang Daheng, and Sun Jiadong have also been honored in this way.

编号325136！浩瀚星空多了一颗“钟南山星”

“钟南山院士的名字，将进入宇宙，闪耀星空！”10月11日上午，“钟南山星”命名仪式在珠海横琴举行。中国科学院紫金山天文台发现的编号为325136号小行星被正式冠以“共和国勋章”获得者、中国工程院院士钟南山的名字，命名为“钟南山星”。

记者了解到，“钟南山星”在2008年3月2日由紫金山天文台盱眙天文观测站近地天体望远镜发现，于2012年4月获得325136号永久编号。2021年5月，经何梁何利基金评选委员会推荐，中国科学院紫金山天文台申请，国际天文学联合会正式批复紫金山天文台提名的325136号小行星命名为“钟南山星”。

“钟南山星”的轨道偏心率为0.199，轨道倾角为13.159度，轨道半长径为2.541天文单位。该星到太阳的平均距离为3.73亿公里，绕太阳一周需4.05年。钟南山星在轨道上以每日158万公里的高速奔腾前进，相当于每秒18.3公里的速度在绕日运行，由于距地球有数亿公里，因此从地面上看上去，她在星空中缓慢地移动。“钟南山星”与地球的最远距离达6.05亿公里，最近时只有1.55亿公里。

据悉，小行星是太阳系中唯一一类可以由发现者提名命名的天体。命名一旦获国际批准，将成为该天体的永久星名，具有国际性和历史性，是一项崇高的国际荣誉。

据不完全统计，目前以我国地名、人名命名的小行星已有百余颗。在以人命名的众多小行星中，有不少都是为科学发展做出突出贡献的科学家。其中，以我国古代科学家命名的小行星包括张衡、祖冲之、郭守敬、沈括等；以我国现代科学家命名的小行星包括钱学森、钱三强、袁隆平、屠呦呦、南仁东、陈景润、周光召、彭桓武、陈芳允、杨嘉墀、王淦昌、朱光亚、赵九章、王大珩、孙家栋等。

文｜记者 薛仁政
图｜记者 温泽广
翻译丨洪婷
英文审校丨赵凡