Two Asteroids Named After Mars Rovers
5 Oct 2004
(Source: NEO)
Minor Planet Circular 52770 issued on September 28, 2004 announced the naming of two asteroids after the Spirit and Opportunity Mars rovers. Excerpts from the MPC is appended below. If you would like the view the asteroids' orbits, see these links:
Asteroid 37452 Spirit
http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/db_shm?des=37452
Asteroid 39382 Opportunity
http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/db_shm?des=39382
Ron Baalke
From MPC 52770:
(37452) Spirit = 4282 P-L
Discovered 1960 Sept. 24 by C.J. van Houten and I. van Houten-Groeneveld on Palomar Schmidt plates taken by T. Gehrels.
Spirit is one of NASA's successful 2004 Mars Exploration Rovers. It explored rocks and minerals in Gusev Crater.
(39382) Opportunity = 2696 P-L
Discovered 1960 Sept. 24 by C.J. van Houten and I. van Houten-Groeneveld on Palomar Schmidt plates taken by T. Gehrels.
Opportunity is one of NASA's successful 2004 Mars Exploration Rovers. It explored rock layers in the wall of craters at Meridiani Planum.
