Asteroids named after people called Michael

👶 Michael as a baby name🐶 Michael as a dog name🐱 Michael as a cat name

(3192) A'Hearn

Named in honor of Michael F. A'Hearn, professor of astronomy at the University of Maryland. A prominent student of cometary physics, A'Hearn has pursued coordinated spectroscopic and spectrophotometric observations of comets spanning the spectral interval from the vacuum ultraviolet to the radio region. He participated in the 1983 discovery with the IUE spacecraft of diatomic sulphur in the spectrum of Comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock (1983d) and has made many other important contributions to our current understanding of comets. Citation prepared by R. L. Millis.Discovered 30 January 1982 by E. Bowell, Anderson Mesa

(4477) Kelley

Michael Shawn Kelley (b. 1958) is a program officer at the Planetary Science Division, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. With expertise in planetary geology, he specializes in constraining the surface composition of asteroids using spectroscopy, including members of the Flora family such as (4477).Discovered 28 September 1983 by Bulgarian National Observatory, Smolyan

(4599) Rowan

Michael Rowan-Robinson (b. 1942), of Imperial College, London, led the team evaluating the completeness and reliability of the IRAS deep-sky infrared survey. His work has been mainly extragalactic, but he used the survey to set a strict limit on the existence of undiscovered Jupiter-like planets beyond the orbit of Neptune.Discovered 5 September 1985 by H. Debehogne, La Silla

(5373) Michaelkurtz

Michael Kurtz (b. 1947) is an American astronomer and computer scientist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Kurtz has been with the NASA Astrophysics Data System project since its inception in 1993 and is the project scientist emeritus for the ADS and its expansion to the NASA Science Explorer.Discovered 14 November 1988 by Ueda, S., Kaneda, H., Kushiro

(5554) Keesey

Michael S. W. Keesey (1937- ) is a member of the Solar System Dynamics Group at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He began his career at JPL in 1970, and his knowledge of fundamental astronomy and celestial mechanics has been put to good use in the ephemeris development efforts for those planets, comets and minor planets that have been mission candidates or targets of ground-based observations. Citation prepared by D. K. Yeomans, a colleague of the honoree.Discovered 15 October 1985 by E. Bowell, Anderson Mesa

(5569) Colby

Michael John Colby (b. 1952) furthered the exploration of the planets by his role as spacecraft integration manager of NASA's New Horizons Pluto-Kuiper Belt mission. He also played key roles in other important planetary and space astronomy missions.Discovered 22 March 1974 by C. Torres, Cerro El Roble

(6406) Mikejura

Michael Jura (1947-2016) was as an American astronomer and UCLA professor whose work on polluted white dwarfs first enabled the measurement of the chemical compositions of extrasolar asteroids.Discovered 28 June 1992 by H. E. Holt, Palomar

(6569) Ondaatje

Michael Ondaatje (b. 1943), a Canadian novelist, poet and writer, was born in Sri Lanka into a Burgher family. Best known for his novel The English Patient, adapted into an award-winning movie, he returned to his Sri Lankan origins in two other books, Running in the Family and Anil's Ghost.Discovered 22 June 1993 by J. E. Mueller, Palomar

(7738) Heyman

Named in honor of I. Michael Heyman (b. 1930), secretary and linchpin of the Smithsonian Institution's diverse and incomparably rich programs. Educator, legal scholar, civil rights champion, he has unfailingly supported research at the frontiers of astronomy.Discovered 24 November 1981 by Oak Ridge Observatory, Harvard

(7936) Mikemagee

Michael Magee (b. 1958) has had a distinguished career with the University of Arizona's Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium since 1980. Throughout two decades Magee has been largely responsible for the planetarium's production of astronomy shows and its outreach program.Discovered 30 July 1990 by H. E. Holt, Palomar

(8032) Michaeladams

Air Force test pilot Michael Adams (1930-1967) was the twelfth pilot to fly the X-15 and made seven flights. On 1967 Nov. 15, he was killed when his X-15 broke up during reentry. The first American to die in the course of a spaceflight, Adams was awarded posthumous Air Force astronaut wings.Discovered 8 March 1992 by Ueda, S., Kaneda, H., Kushiro

(8129) Michaelbusch

Named in honor of Michael W. Busch (b. 1987), a Jansky Fellow at the Department of Earth and Space Sciences of the University of California, Los Angeles. Busch is a radar astronomer who studies NEAs, with a particular interest in contact binary asteroids.Discovered 30 September 1975 by S. J. Bus, Palomar

(8379) Straczynski

Named in honor of J. Michael Straczynski (b. 1954), creator, executive producer, and writer of Babylon 5 , an award-winning science-fiction novel for television that chronicles the story of the last of a series of space stations, the last best hope for peace in the galaxy. Straczynski has been involved in genre television for many years, editing and writing for a number of popular series. He has also published many short stories, an anthology and two fantasy/horror novels. Straczynski's primary criterion for a good science-fiction television series is that it must be good science fiction and good television. With Babylon 5 he succeeded superbly. Name proposed by J. Scotti, W. Bottke and D. Durda. Citation by D. Durda.Discovered 27 September 1992 by Spacewatch, Kitt Peak

(8790) Michaelamato

Michael J. Amato (b. 1967) contributed to NASA's Lucy Trojan asteroid mission as the Early Mission Proposal and Phase A Goddard Space Flight Center Lead. He has successfully led early work on multiple other planetary missions including OSIRIS-REx, MAVEN, Dragonfly, and DAVINCI+.Discovered 7 November 1978 by Helin, E. F., Bus, S. J., Palomar

(9022) Drake

Michael J. Drake (b. 1946), popular director of the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory and president of the Meteoritical Society, is a professor and researcher in cosmochemistry and geochemistry who studies the evolution of the earth, moon, igneous meteorites and other terrestrial planetary bodies.Discovered 14 August 1988 by Shoemaker, C. S., Shoemaker, E. M., Palomar

(9528) Kuppers

Michael Küppers (b. 1967) is a planetary scientist at the European Space Agency who has helped orchestrate asteroid flybys for the Rosetta mission. His science contributions include analyzing the photometric and geologic data for (2867) Steins and (21) Lutetia.Discovered 7 March 1981 by S. J. Bus, Siding Spring

(9530) Kelleymichael

Michael Sean Peterson Kelley (b. 1978) is an assistant research scientist at the University of Maryland. He has contributed to an improved understanding of the size, structure, and mineralogy of comet dust through both telescopic measurements and dynamical models.Discovered 2 March 1981 by S. J. Bus, Siding Spring

(9537) Nolan

Michael C. Nolan (b. 1963), a scientist at the Arecibo Observatory, has significantly advanced our theoretical understanding of the collisional evolution of minor planets and has conducted numerous radar observations, including the first delay-doppler imaging of the largest main-belt objects.Discovered 18 January 1982 by E. Bowell, Anderson Mesa

(9621) Michaelpalin

Michael Palin (b. 1943) is a member of Monty Python's Flying Circus. His sketch with the parrot will never be forgotten. He has also written several books for children and undertaken world travelogues for television.Discovered 21 March 1993 by UESAC, La Silla

(9727) Skrutskie

Michael F. Skrutskie (b. 1959) is a professor of astronomy at the University of Virginia. An expert in infrared astronomy instrumentation, he was the principal investigator for the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) producing a catalog of J-, H-, K-band colors for several thousand asteroids.Discovered 2 March 1981 by S. J. Bus, Siding Spring

(10969) Perryman

Michael Perryman (b. 1954), project scientist of the HIPPARCOS and GAIA missions of the European Space Agency and a professor at Leiden University, is known for his leadership in the development of space astrometry.Discovered 13 May 1971 by van Houten, C. J., van Houten-Groeneveld, I., Gehrels, T., Palomar

(10985) Feast

Michael Feast (b. 1926) has had a distinguished career in stellar studies of the Milky Way and the Magellanic Clouds. As director of the South African Astronomical Observatory he kept research at a high level during the difficult years when South Africa suffered because of its apartheid policies.Discovered 16 October 1977 by van Houten, C. J., van Houten-Groeneveld, I., Gehrels, T., Palomar

(11702) Mifischer

Michael Henry Fischer (b. 1985) is a finalist in the 2002 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his physics project. He attends the Pacific Collegiate School, Santa Cruz, California, U.S.A.Discovered 31 March 1998 by LINEAR, Socorro

(11704) Gorin

Michael Adam Gorin (b. 1985) is a finalist in the 2002 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his biochemistry project. He attends the Lynbrook High School, Hewlett, New York, U.S.A.Discovered 22 March 1998 by LINEAR, Socorro

(11714) Mikebrown

Michael E. Brown (b. 1965) is assistant professor of astronomy at the California Institute of Technology. He is best known for his work on the Kuiper belt, cometary comae and the atmospheres of planetary satellites.Discovered 28 April 1998 by LONEOS, Anderson Mesa

(11771) Maestlin

Michael Maestlin (1550-1631), professor of astronomy at Tübingen, was an influential teacher of Johannes Kepler and one of the earliest adherents to Copernicanism. Maestlin also made astrometric measurements of comets in 1577 and 1580. The name was suggested by the object's identifier, D. W. E. Green.Discovered 29 September 1973 by van Houten, C. J., van Houten-Groeneveld, I., Gehrels, T., Palomar

(12069) Michaelbruno

Michael Bruno mentored a finalist in the 2019 Regeneron Science Talent Search, a science competition for high school seniors. He teaches at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, Durham, North Carolina.Discovered 20 March 1998 by LINEAR, Socorro

(12199) Sohlman

Michael Sohlman (b. 1944) is a well-known Swedish specialist in economics and finance, executive director of the Nobel Fund, a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences.Discovered 8 October 1980 by L. V. Zhuravleva, Nauchnyj

(12223) Hoskin

Michael A. Hoskin (b. 1930) founded the Journal for the History of Astronomy in 1970 and has since served as its editor. He established the archives at Churchill College, Cambridge, is a leading expert on William Herschel and has done pioneering archeoastronomical work around the western Mediterranean basin.Discovered 8 October 1983 by Oak Ridge Observatory, Harvard

(12247) Michaelsekerak

Michael James Sekerak (b. 1977) contributed to NASA's Lucy Trojan asteroid mission as the NASA Deputy Project Systems Engineer. He was part of the team for the entire development through to launch.Discovered 14 September 1988 by S. J. Bus, Cerro Tololo

(12670) Passargea

Michael Paul Oskar Passarge (b. 1950) is a prominent German amateur astronomer. He built a private observatory at Bad Salzschliren and systematically observes the sun. He is a fervent popularizer of astronomy and gives lectures on radio and television and at his observatory.Discovered 22 September 1979 by N. S. Chernykh, Nauchnyj

(12747) Michageffert

Michael Geffert (b. 1953) is a German astrometrist at Bonn University working on the precession of stars in globular clusters. He has done valuable work on the Hipparcos input catalog. A member of a well-known musical family, he also occupies himself successfully with musical performance and drawing.Discovered 18 December 1992 by E. W. Elst, Caussols

(12893) Mommert

Michael Mommert (b. 1982) has analysed Herschel and Spitzer space telescope observations of transneptunian and near-Earth objects, finding further evidence for links between these populations. He has provided insight into the physical properties of the Plutinos and the cometary component of the NEO population.Discovered 26 August 1998 by ODAS, Caussols

(13319) Michaelmi

Michael Mi (b. 1988) is a finalist in the 2002 Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge (DCYSC), a middle school science competition, for his biochemistry, medicine, health, and microbiology project. He attends the Andrew W. Mellon Middle School, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Discovered 14 September 1998 by LINEAR, Socorro

(13514) Mikerudenko

Michael Rudenko (b. 1955) has been an IT specialist at the Minor Planet Center, handling the website and database, since 2009. He (co-)discovered three comets visually: C/1984 V1 (Levy-Rudenko); C/1987 Q1 (Rudenko); and C/1989 Q1 (Okazaki-Levy-Rudenko).Discovered 18 June 1990 by H. E. Holt, Palomar

(13551) Gadsden

Michael Gadsden (1933-2003) worked during the International Geophysical Year on airglow and aurorae in New Zealand and Antarctica and later at Boulder and Aberdeen. He was an authority on noctilucent clouds and secretary general of the International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy.Discovered 26 March 1992 by R. H. McNaught, Siding Spring

(13820) Schwartz

Michael Schwartz (b. 1950) contributes to professional-amateur cooperative discovery and measurement of supernovae and efforts in improving automated astronomy at Tenagra Observatory in Pategonia, Arizona.Discovered 1 November 1999 by C. W. Juels, Fountain Hills

(14185) Van Ness

Michael E. Van Ness (b. 1974) has been an observer for LONEOS since 1998. He is interested in archaeoastronomy.Discovered 21 November 1998 by LONEOS, Anderson Mesa

(15144) Araas

Named in honor of Michael J. Araas for achievement as a finalist in the 2001 Discovery Young Scientist Challenge (DYSC), a middle school science competition. Michael is a student at the Holy Name School, Sheridan, Wyoming.Discovered 9 March 2000 by LINEAR, Socorro

(15148) Michaelmaryott

Michael Maryott (1936-2009) was the owner of a company that maintains research microscopes for laboratories at the University of Arizona, especially the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. He was a prospector, silversmith, photographer, craftsman, musician, scientist, educator and Arizona historian.Discovered 2 March 2000 by CSS, Catalina

(15492) Nyberg

Michael Herbert Nyberg (b. 1985) was named a finalist in the 2003 Intel Science Talent Search, a science competition for high school seniors, for his engineering project. He attends the Lyme-Old Lyme High School, Old Lyme, Connecticut.Discovered 10 February 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(15630) Disanti

Michael A. DiSanti (b. 1954) has advanced the understanding of molecular processing and chemistry in comets, in particular of carbon monoxide and oxygen-processing mechanisms, through his studies at the Goddard Space Flight Center.Discovered 24 April 2000 by LONEOS, Anderson Mesa

(16207) Montgomery

Michael Montgomery (1925-2011) was a well-known jazz and ragtime piano player in the Detroit area of Michigan, and had one of the largest private collections of antique piano rolls in the U.S.Discovered 1 February 2000 by CSS, Catalina

(16220) Mikewagner

Named in honor of Michael Jacob Wagner for achievement as a finalist in the 2002 Intel Science Talent Search, a science competition for high school seniors. Michael is a student at the John F. Kennedy High School, Bellmore, New York.Discovered 29 February 2000 by LINEAR, Socorro

(16888) Michaelbarber

Michael R. Barber (b. 1947), a lawyer and amateur astronomer in the γ-ray bursts field at the Santa Barbara Astronomical Group, co-founded a small CCD brand that in 1991 developed star tracking equipment, allowing the start of CCD revolution in the amateur astronomer's world.Discovered 29 January 1998 by Farra d'Isonzo, Farra d'Isonzo

(17060) Mikecombi

Michael R. Combi (b. 1962), of the University of Michigan, is a planetary astronomer who specializes in the detailed modeling of cometary comae. His model for the distribution of water molecules and associated byproducts has been invaluable in understanding a wide variety of coma observations.Discovered 9 April 1999 by LONEOS, Anderson Mesa

(17844) Judson

Michael Ivan Judson (b. 1985) was awarded third place in the 2003 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his botany team project. He attends the Pleasant Grove High School, Pleasant Grove, Utah, U.S.A.Discovered 21 April 1998 by LINEAR, Socorro

(17983) Buhrmester

Michael Duane Buhrmester (b. 1984) was awarded first place in the 2003 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his behavioral and social sciences project. He attends the Plano Senior High School, Plano, Texas, U.S.A.Discovered 10 May 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(18190) Michaelpizer

Michael J. Pizer (b. 1988) was awarded second place in the 2003 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his physics project. He also received the Intel Foundation Achievement Award. He attends the University School of Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.A.Discovered 25 August 2000 by LINEAR, Socorro

(18434) Mikesandras

Michael Sandras (b. 1963) has almost single-handedly made the Kenner Planetarium and Observatory, near New Orleans, one of the foremost astronomy education facilities in the United States. A first-rate amateur astronomer, Sandras has also served as president of the Pontchartrain Astronomy Society for many years.Discovered 12 March 1994 by Shoemaker, C. S., Levy, D. H., Palomar

(18626) Michaelcarr

Michael Carr (b. 1947) is an instrument maker who worked at Caltech and then Princeton University. He aided in the Apollo lunar rocks analysis effort and contributed to several pioneering CCD astronomy instruments, such as HST's WFPC, Palomar's 4-shooter, Keck's LRIS and the SDSS survey camera.Discovered 27 February 1998 by ODAS, Caussols

(18776) Coulter

Michael Edward Coulter (b. 1986) was awarded third place in the 2003 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his engineering project. He attends the Oregon Episcopal School, Portland, Oregon, U.S.A.Discovered 10 May 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(18957) Mijacobsen

Michael Thomas Jacobsen (b. 1985) was awarded fourth place in the 2003 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his botany project. He attends the Laurel-Concord High School, Laurel, Nebraska, U.S.A.Discovered 24 August 2000 by LINEAR, Socorro

(19591) Michaelklein

Michael Aaron Klein (b. 1989) is a finalist in the 2003 Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge, a middle school science competition, for his behavioral science project. He attends the Lawrence Middle School, Lawrence, New York.Discovered 14 July 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(19614) Montelongo

Michael John Montelongo (b. 1989) is a finalist in the 2003 Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge, a middle school science competition, for his botany and zoology project. He attends the Desert View Middle School, El Paso, Texas.Discovered 16 July 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(20027) Michaelwatson

Michael S. F. Watson (b. 1952) is a partner in a Toronto law firm, an accomplished astrophotographer and eclipsophile and an active member of the RASC since 1970. He served as RASC Treasurer and, more recently, Director and First Vice-President. He won the RASC Service Award in 1992 and the Simon Newcomb Award in 1994, and Toronto Centre's Bert Topham Award.Discovered 1 March 1992 by UESAC, La Silla

(20033) Michaelnoble

Michael P. Noble (1954–2022) was a Canadian amateur astronomer known for high resolution, full-sky coverage of meteor, aurora, and noctilucent cloud (NLC) events. He often provided data to researchers, and proved it was possible to observe more than 40 NLC sightings in a season. He was also a generous supporter of public outreach with RASC Edmonton Centre.Discovered 8 August 1992 by E. W. Elst, Caussols

(20037) Duke

Michael B. Duke (b. 1935) is a scholar of distinction on lunar, Mars and meteorite research, with a broad perspective and knowledge of the history of space exploration. Curator of the lunar samples returned from the moon, he moved on to become chief of the Lunar and Planetary Sciences Division of the Johnson Spacecraft Center.Discovered 20 October 1992 by Shoemaker, C. S., Shoemaker, E. M., Palomar

(20149) Huh

Michael Huh (b. 1987) is an American scientist and the NASA Cold Curation Lead. He directs the development of advanced cryogenic infrastructure and handling techniques required for future sample-return missions, ensuring that volatile-rich samples from the lunar South Pole and beyond are preserved in their pristine, frozen state.Discovered 8 October 1996 by NEAT, Haleakala

(20343) Vaccariello

Michael Vaccariello mentored a finalist in the 2004 Intel Science Talent Search, a science competition for high school seniors. He teaches at the Sachem North High School, Lake Ronkonkoma, New York.Discovered 21 April 1998 by LINEAR, Socorro

(20392) Mikeshepard

Michael Shepard (b. 1962), a professor of geology and geosciences at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, specializes in radar and optical remote sensing of the minor and the terrestrial planets. The name was suggested by S. J. Ostro.Discovered 19 June 1998 by LONEOS, Anderson Mesa

(20399) Michaelesser

Michael Lesser works at the University of Arizona Steward Observatory. He is best known for his pioneering work in high quantum efficiency CCDs and for his work on the detectors for the Hubble Space Telescope and ground-based observatories, many of which are used in the current surveys for minor planets.Discovered 20 July 1998 by ODAS, Caussols

(20478) Rutenberg

Michael Lev Rutenberg- Schoenberg (b. 1990) is a finalist in the 2004 Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge (DCYSC), a middle school science competition, for his biochemistry, medicine, health, and microbiology project. He attends the Portland Jewish Academy, Portland, Oregon.Discovered 14 July 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(20543) Michaelfauerbach

Michael Fauerbach (b. 1965) is a German-American Professor of Physics & Astronomy at Florida Gulf Coast University. Originally a nuclear astrophysicist, he has spent the past two decades focusing on asteroid photometry and shape modeling.Discovered 7 September 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(20546) Michaelfruhauf

Michael Frühauf (b. 1988) is a German physicist who has worked on determining the flux density of small asteroids coming close to Earth. He also coded the first version of the short-term asteroid impact warning system “Meerkat” for the European Space Agency.Discovered 8 September 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(20564) Michaellane

Michael Lane mentored a finalist in the 2004 Discovery Channel Youth Science Challenge (DCYSC), a middle school science competition. He teaches at the C.V. Koogler Middle School, Aztec, New Mexico.Discovered 9 September 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(21358) Mijerbarany

Michael Jeremy Barany (b. 1987) is a finalist in the 2005 Intel Science Talent Search, a science competition for high school seniors, for his chemistry project. He attends the Roseville Area High School, Roseville, Minnesota.Discovered 3 April 1997 by LINEAR, Socorro

(21409) Forbes

Michael Andrew Forbes (b. 1987) is a finalist in the 2005 Intel Science Talent Search, a science competition for high school seniors, for his computer science project. He attends the Montgomery Blair High School, Silver Spring, Maryland.Discovered 20 March 1998 by LINEAR, Socorro

(21505) Bernert

Michael James Bernert (b. 1989) was awarded second place in the 2005 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his botany project. He attends the West Linn High School, West Linn, Oregon, U.S.A.Discovered 22 May 1998 by LINEAR, Socorro

(21576) McGivney

Michael J. McGivney (1852-1890), parish priest of St. Mary's Church in New Haven, Connecticut, founded the Knights of Columbus to address the plight of immigrant Catholics.Discovered 19 September 1998 by W. G. Dillon, Needville

(21585) Polmear

Michael McCord Polmear (b. 1988) was awarded second place in the 2006 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his medicine and health team project. He attends the Cherry Creek High School, Greenwood Village, Colorado, U.S.A.Discovered 26 September 1998 by LINEAR, Socorro

(21708) Mulhall

Michael Mulhall (b. 1987) was awarded first place in the 2005 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his physics team project. He attends the Synge Street CBS Secondary School, Dublin, Ireland.Discovered 7 September 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(21713) Michaelolson

Michael R. Olson (b. 1986) was awarded first place in the 2005 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his botany team project. He also received the MILSET Expo-Science Award. He attends the Gold Beach High School, Gold Beach, Oregon, U.S.A.Discovered 7 September 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(21743) Michaelsegal

Michael Segal (b. 1987) was awarded first place and Best in Category in the 2005 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his biochemistry project. He attends the Central High School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.Discovered 9 September 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(22032) Mikekoop

Michael Walter Koop (b. 1961), long-time president of the San Jose (California) Astronomical Association, is an electrical engineer by profession. His expertise in telecommunications has often been applied to meteors, observed from the ground and from aircraft.Discovered 9 December 1999 by LONEOS, Anderson Mesa

(22294) Simmons

Michael S. Simmons (b. 1949) dedicated time and effort to organizing the Palomar Observatory's 1.2-m Schmidt Oschin Telescope plate archive. Among his many significant and varied astronomy outreach activities are several trips to Iran to promote friendship and amateur astronomy.Discovered 28 September 1989 by Shoemaker, C. S., Shoemaker, E. M., Palomar

(22426) Mikehanes

Michael Francis Hanes (b. 1959) was a pilot for Air Canada, an amateur astronomer and telescope maker with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, London Centre. Name suggested by R. and P. Jedicke.Discovered 13 January 1996 by Spacewatch, Kitt Peak

(22561) Miviscardi

Michael Anthony Viscardi (b. 1989) is a finalist in the 2006 Intel Science Talent Search (STS), a science competition for high school seniors, for his mathematics project. He is a member of the Josan Academy, San Diego, California.Discovered 18 April 1998 by LINEAR, Socorro

(22628) Michaelallen

Michael Allen mentored a finalist in the 2006 Intel Science Talent Search (STS), a science competition for high school seniors. He teaches at the Appleton High School East, Appleton, Wisconsin.Discovered 22 May 1998 by LINEAR, Socorro

(22686) Mishchenko

Michael Ivanovich Mischenko (b. 1959), of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, studies electromagnetic scattering. He has developed a new branch of statistical optics based on numerically exact solutions of Maxwell's equations.Discovered 20 August 1998 by LONEOS, Anderson Mesa

(22815) Sewell

Michael T. Sewell (b. 1993) is a finalist in the 2006 Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge (DCYSC), a middle school science competition, for his physical science project. He attends the Everest Academy, Clarkston, Michigan.Discovered 7 September 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(23016) Michaelroche

Michael Roche mentored a finalist in the 2007 Intel Science Talent Search (STS), a science competition for high school seniors. He teaches at the High Technology High School, Lincroft, New Jersey.Discovered 15 November 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(23061) Blueglass

Michael Blueglass mentored a finalist in the 2004 Intel Science Talent Search (STS), a science competition for high school seniors. He teaches at the Yorktown High School, Yorktown Heights, New York.Discovered 7 December 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(23069) Kapps

Michael Kapps (b. 1989) was awarded second place in the 2007 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his animal sciences project. He attends the Thornhill Secondary School, Thornhill, Ontario, Canada.Discovered 7 December 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(23121) Michaelding

Michael Ding (b. 1990) was awarded second place in the 2007 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his chemistry project. He attends the Glen Cove High School, Glen Cove, New York, U.S.A.Discovered 4 January 2000 by LINEAR, Socorro

(23216) Mikehagler

Michael David Hagler (b. 1989) was awarded first place in the 2007 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his medicine and health sciences project. He attends the Rambam Mesivta High School, Lawrence, New York, U.S.A.Discovered 24 October 2000 by LINEAR, Socorro

(24303) Michaelrice

Michael L. Rice (b. 1943), an amateur astronomer since age 9, cofounded New Mexico Skies Observatory near Cloudcroft with his wife Lynn in 1998 after he retired from teaching finance at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Many have learned advanced observing and CCD imaging techniques under his excellent tutelage.Discovered 16 December 1999 by C. W. Juels, Fountain Hills

(24438) Michaeloy

Michael Jeffrey Loy (b. 1990) was awarded second place in the 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his materials and bioengineering project. He attends the Oregon Episcopal School, Portland, Oregon, U.S.A.Discovered 9 March 2000 by LINEAR, Socorro

(25050) Michmadsen

Michael Kaergaard Madsen (b. 1988) was awarded second place in the 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his environmental sciences team project. He attends the Vejle Technical High School, Vejle, Denmark.Discovered 17 August 1998 by LINEAR, Socorro

(25152) Toplis

Michael J. Toplis (b. 1969) is a geochemist at the University of Toulouse. Combining data returned by the Dawn mission with estimates for the starting chondritic composition of Vesta and HED meteorites, he has developed models for Vesta's interior structure and evolution.Discovered 16 September 1998 by LONEOS, Anderson Mesa

(25159) Michaelwest

Michael West (b. 1959) is the Deputy Director for Science at Lowell Observatory. His research focuses on star clusters and galaxies. He was PI for six Hubble Space Telescope projects and has authored two books, including A Sky Wonderful with Stars.Discovered 17 September 1998 by LONEOS, Anderson Mesa

(25228) Mikekitt

Michael Kitt (b. 1941) is an amateur astronomer who has written numerous articles about lunar observing and is author of The Moon: an Observing Guide for Backyard Telescopes. He is a long-standing Lowell Observatory Advisory Board member and a supporter of preservation activities there.Discovered 10 October 1998 by LONEOS, Anderson Mesa

(25414) Cherkassky

Michael Sheng Cherkassky (b. 1991) is a finalist in the 2009 Intel Science Talent Search (STS), a science competition for high school seniors, for his computer science project. He attends the Edina High School, Edina, Minnesota.Discovered 3 November 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(25486) Michaelwham

Michael Tyler Wham (b. 1990) is a finalist in the 2009 Intel Science Talent Search (STS), a science competition for high school seniors, for his zoology project. He attends the Sterling Ridge Home School, Woodlands, Texas.Discovered 7 December 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(25495) Michaelroddy

Michael Roddy mentored a finalist in the 2009 Intel Science Talent Search (STS), a science competition for high school seniors. He teaches at the Edina High School, Edina, Minnesota.Discovered 7 December 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(25519) Bartolomeo

Michael Bartolomeo mentored a finalist in the 2009 Intel Science Talent Search (STS), a science competition for high school seniors. He teaches at the Shorecrest Preparatory School, St Petersburg, Florida.Discovered 7 December 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(25673) Di Mascio

Michael Vincent Di Mascio (b. 1992) was awarded second place in the 2009 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his physics project. He attends the Waynesville High School, Waynesville, Ohio, U.S.A.Discovered 5 January 2000 by LINEAR, Socorro

(25919) Comuniello

Michael John Comuniello (b. 1992) is a finalist in the 2010 Intel Science Talent Search (STS), a science competition for high school seniors, for his behavioral and social sciences project. He attends the Division Avenue High School, Levittown, New York.Discovered 16 February 2001 by LINEAR, Socorro

(25940) Mikeschottland

Michael R. Schottland (1889-1962) was an industrialist, philanthropist and avid amateur astronomer, who founded the Virginia Mirror Company, which still thrives today. He is the original owner and donor of the astrograph that would become the LONEOS telescope, an instrument that was used to discover many asteroids.Discovered 2 March 2001 by LONEOS, Anderson Mesa

(26246) Mikelake

Michael Lake mentored a finalist in the 2010 Intel Science Talent Search (STS), a science competition for high school seniors. He teaches at the Half Hollow Hills High School West, Dix Hills, New York.Discovered 17 August 1998 by LINEAR, Socorro

(26336) Mikemcdowell

Michael Charles McDowell (b. 1995) was awarded best of category and first place in the 2010 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his animal-sciences team project. He attends the Catholic High School, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.A.Discovered 21 November 1998 by LINEAR, Socorro

(26417) Michaelgord

Michael Aaron Gord (b. 1992) was awarded second place in the 2010 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his chemistry project. He attends the Dayton Christian High School, Miamisburg, Ohio, U.S.A.Discovered 7 December 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(26433) Michaelyurko

Michael Christopher Yurko (b. 1993) was awarded second place in the 2010 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his computer-science project. He attends the Detroit Catholic Central High School, Novi, Michigan, U.S.A.Discovered 14 December 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(26507) Mikelin

Michael Lin (b. 1993) was awarded second place in the 2010 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his environmental-management team project. He attends the Robert Louis Stevenson Upper School, Pebble Beach, California, U.S.A.Discovered 2 February 2000 by LINEAR, Socorro

(28077) Hard

Michael W. Hard (b. 1937) is a long-time friend of Lowell Observatory who has championed the Observatory in many ways. He had a 39-year senior executive career in banking in Arizona and served as a trustee on two foundation boards of directors. Michael was also very active in the community after retirement.Discovered 27 August 1998 by LONEOS, Anderson Mesa

(28091) Mikekane

Michael Kane mentored a finalist in the 2012 Broadcom MASTERS, a math and science competition for middle-school students. He teaches at the Rolling Hills Country Day School, Rolling Hills Estates, California.Discovered 14 September 1998 by LINEAR, Socorro

(28272) Mikejanner

Michael Leonard Janner (b. 1996) was awarded second place in the 2011 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his chemistry project. He attends the Redlands East Valley High School, Redlands, California, U.S.A.Discovered 10 February 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(28519) Sweetman

Michael Sweetman (b. 1952) has been an amateur astronomer since the early 1960s, becoming an accomplished artist with his lunar and planetary observations. In recent years he has also been engaged in high-quality imaging of the moon.Discovered 26 February 2000 by CSS, Catalina

(28599) Terenzoni

Michael Terenzoni (b. 1964) served as the Astronomy Coordinator at Flandrau Science Center. He later worked as an Observatory Specialist with Steward Observatory at the University of Arizona. This has made him well known and liked among both the professional and amateur astronomical communities in southern Arizona.Discovered 11 March 2000 by CSS, Catalina

(28644) Michaelzhang

Michael Zhang (b. 1994) is a finalist in the 2013 Intel Science Talent Search, a science competition for high-school seniors, for his behavioral and social sciences project. He attends the Smithtown High School East, Saint James, New York.Discovered 29 March 2000 by LINEAR, Socorro

(28705) Michaelbecker

Michael David Becker (b. 1999) is a finalist in the 2013 Broadcom MASTERS, a math and science competition for middle school students, for his physical sciences project. He attends the Liberty Christian School, Argyle, Texas.Discovered 4 April 2000 by LINEAR, Socorro

(28874) Michaelchen

Michael Zhu Chen (b. 1996) was awarded first place in the 2013 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his chemistry project. He attends the Fairview High School, Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A.Discovered 28 May 2000 by LINEAR, Socorro

(28995) Marquess

Michael Marquess (b. 1974) is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of a brewing company in Flagstaff, Arizona. He is a respected leader of the community and strong supporter of Lowell Observatory's annual “I Heart Pluto Festival”.Discovered 16 July 2001 by LONEOS, Anderson Mesa

(29654) Michaellaue

Michael Laue (b. 1995) was awarded second place in the 2013 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his chemistry project. He attends the Europagymnasium Walther Rathenau Bitterfeld, Bitterfeld, Saxony - Anhalt, Germany.Discovered 18 November 1998 by LINEAR, Socorro

(29725) Mikewest

Michael West (b. 1954) has served amateur astronomers for more than 30 years with his expertise, advice, encouragement and unwavering commitment to the astronomical community.Discovered 15 January 1999 by ODAS, Caussols

(29803) Michaelshao

Michael Shao (b. 1997) was awarded best of category and first place in the 2013 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his animal sciences project. He attends the Detroit Country Day Upper School, Beverly Hills, Michigan, U.S.A.Discovered 10 February 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(30334) Michaelwiner

Michael Winer (b. 1996) is a finalist in the 2015 Intel Science Talent Search, a science competition for high school seniors, for his physics project. He attends the Montgomery Blair High School, Silver Spring, Maryland.Discovered 7 May 2000 by LINEAR, Socorro

(30431) Michaeltran

Michael Tran mentored a finalist in the 2015 Intel Science Talent Search (STS), a science competition for high school seniors. He teaches at the Arnold O. Beckman High School, Irvine, California.Discovered 4 June 2000 by LINEAR, Socorro

(31239) Michaeljames

Michael James (b. 1970) is a high-school teacher of English at Kenwood High School, Baltimore County, Maryland. During his teaching career he has inspired many students to take a deep interest in literature.Discovered 21 February 1998 by I. P. Griffin, Cocoa

(31848) Mikemattei

Michael Mattei (b. 1940) worked at Harvard College Observatory Agassiz Station as a young man moving to optics with various institutions and companies culminating in his work with M.I.T. Lincoln Labs working on projects from microscope optics to space telescopes.Discovered 3 March 2000 by CSS, Catalina

(32070) Michaelretchin

Michael Retchin (b. 1997) was awarded best of category award and first place in the 2015 Intel ISEF for his computational biology and bioinformatics team project. He also received the Intel and Indo-US Science & Technology Forum Visit to India. He attends the Mills E. Godwin High School, Richmond, Virginia, U.S.A.Discovered 7 May 2000 by LINEAR, Socorro

(32275) Limichael

Michael Yifan Li (b. 1998) is a finalist in the 2016 Intel Science Talent Search , a science competition for high school seniors, for his computational biology and bioinformatics project. He attends the James M. Bennett High School, Salisbury, Maryland.Discovered 1 August 2000 by LINEAR, Socorro

(32313) Zhangmichael

Michael Zhang (b. 1998) is a finalist in the 2016 Intel Science Talent Search, a science competition for high school seniors, for his bioengineering project. He attends the Conestoga High School, Berwyn, Pennsylvania.Discovered 24 August 2000 by LINEAR, Socorro

(32387) D'Egidio

Michael D'Egidio mentored a finalist in the 2016 Intel Science Talent Search, a science competition for high school seniors. He teaches at the Oxbridge Academy of the Palm Beaches, West Palm Beach, Florida.Discovered 29 August 2000 by LINEAR, Socorro

(32584) Michaelcollins

Michael Collins (b. 1957) is an Electronics Specialist and longtime occultation chaser at Lowell Observatory, USA. He joined Lowell after a 30-plus year career in the electronics industry and has been a key multidisciplinary member of the observatory covering all aspects of astronomical instrumentation.Discovered 18 August 2001 by LONEOS, Anderson Mesa

(33446) Michaelyang

Michael Yang (b. 1998) is a finalist in the 2017 Regeneron Science Talent Search, a science competition for high school seniors, for his computational biology and bioinformatics project. He attends the Charlotte Latin School, Charlotte, North Carolina.Discovered 19 March 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(33451) Michaelarney

Michael Arney mentored a finalist in the 2017 Regeneron Science Talent Search, a science competition for high school seniors. He teaches at the Trinity Preparatory School, Winter Park, Florida.Discovered 19 March 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(33677) Truell

Michael Truell (b. 2000) was awarded second place in the 2016 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his robotics and intelligent machines team project. He attends the Horace Mann School, Bronx, New York, U.S.A.Discovered 13 May 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(33684) Xiaomichael

Michael Xiao (b. 1998) was awarded first place in the 2016 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his biomedical and health sciences project. He attends the Lone Peak High School, Highland, Utah, U.S.A.Discovered 13 May 1999 by LINEAR, Socorro

(34161) Michaellee

Michael Yoomin Lee (b. 1998) was awarded best of category and first place in the 2017 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his systems software project. He also received the Intel Foundation Cultural and Scientific Visit to China Award. He attends the Manhasset High School, Manhasset, New York, U.S.A.Discovered 24 August 2000 by LINEAR, Socorro

(34250) Mamichael

Michael Yuanchao Ma (b. 2000) is a finalist in the 2018 Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS), a science competition for high school seniors, for his mathematics project. He attends the Plano West Senior High School, Plano, Texas.Discovered 24 August 2000 by LINEAR, Socorro

(34262) Michaelren

Michael Ren (b. 2000) is a finalist in the 2018 Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS), a science competition for high school seniors, for his mathematics project. He attends the Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts.Discovered 25 August 2000 by LINEAR, Socorro

(37582) Faraday

The English naturalist Michael Faraday (1791-1867) discovered the liquefaction of chlorine and the benzene, electromagnetic induction, diamagnetism, the rotation of light's polarization plane by a magnetic field and the screening Faraday-cage. He also stated the basic laws of electrolysis.Discovered 12 October 1990 by Borngen, F., Schmadel, L. D., Tautenburg

(38044) Michaellucas

Michael Lucas (b. 1965) is a research associate in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of Tennessee. He studies the geochemical histories of asteroids using telescopic spectroscopy of asteroids and petrology and spectroscopy of analog meteorites.Discovered 19 September 1998 by LONEOS, Anderson Mesa

(42365) Caligiuri

Michael P. Caligiuri (b. 1954) has been studying the motor pathways of the human brain since 1987 at the University of California, San Diego. He is also an avid amateur astro-imager and is partially responsible for rekindling the interest in astronomy of this minor planet's first discoverer.Discovered 12 February 2002 by Juels, C. W., Holvorcem, P. R., Fountain Hills

(42985) Marsset

Michael Marsset (b. 1989) is a postdoctoral associate at MIT (Cambridge, MA). An expert in small solar system bodies, his research includes adaptive optics imaging, photometric colors, and spectroscopic measurements of asteroids and Trans-Neptunian Objects.Discovered 4 October 1999 by LONEOS, Anderson Mesa

(44195) Michaelcordova

Michael Cordova (b. 1956) had a career as an airline pilot in the US. During his career, he identified celestial objects for his colleagues in the cockpit. He was often surprised that they had no knowledge of the planets. Michael became a member of the Lowell Observatory Advisory Board in 2022.Discovered 19 June 1998 by LONEOS, Anderson Mesa

(46441) Mikepenston

Michael Penston (1943-1990) was a British observational astronomer who spent the majority of his career at the Royal Greenwich Observatory. He studied the power sources of active galaxies and determined the mass of the central object (thought to be a black hole) in the AGN of NGC 4151. The name was suggested by K. Tritton.Discovered 10 June 2002 by Juels, C. W., Holvorcem, P. R., Fountain Hills

(47786) Michaelleinbach

Michael Leinbach (b. 1953) is an American aerospace engineer who was the last launch director in the Space Shuttle program. He was responsible for overall shuttle launch countdown activities from 2001 to 2011, and led the debris reconstruction and preservation of Columbia after the 2003 accident. Michael was awarded the Presidential Rank Award.Discovered 3 March 2000 by CSS, Catalina

(50426) Mikemerrifield

Michael Merrifield (b. 1964) is a British emeritus professor of astronomy at the University of Nottingham specializing in galaxy evolution and structure. He co-authored the textbook Galactic Astronomy and contributed to the YouTube channels “Sixty Symbols” and “Deep Sky Videos”, where he explains astronomy and physics to a wide audience.Discovered 26 February 2000 by CSS, Catalina

(51824) Mikeanderson

Michael P. Anderson (1959-2003) was the payload commander of the space shuttle Columbia (STS-107).Discovered 19 July 2001 by NEAT, Palomar

(53253) Zeiler

Michael Zeiler (b. 1956) is a technical writer at the Environmental Systems Research Institute who helped develop the ArcGIS geographic information system. He made his first eclipse map in 2009. His company now produces a variety of them, books, graphics and animations, many of which he distributes freely.Discovered 13 March 1999 by R. A. Tucker, Goodricke-Pigott

(68948) Mikeoates

Through 2003 Michael Oates (b. 1957) has been the most successful SOHO comet hunter. Using his personal computer and fast Internet connections to scan through the SOHO LASCO image archive, he is credited with 138 near-sun comet discoveries.Discovered 8 August 2002 by S. F. Hoenig, Palomar

(70781) Donnelly

Michael Donnelly (b. 1961) is the Project Manager for the OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission. Prior to serving in this role, he was the First Servicing Mission Systems Manager for the Hubble Space Telescope, the AQUA Spacecraft Manager, and the GOES-R Project Manager.Discovered 1 November 1999 by CSS, Catalina

(70995) Mikemorton

Michael Morton (1959-1999) was the consummate amateur astronomer, George Observatory volunteer and friend. The continuing success of the George Observatory is directly related to his knowledge, skills, hard work and dedication. Mike was also a beloved member of the Fort Bend Astronomy Club.Discovered 6 December 1999 by Needville, Needville

(77136) Mendillo

Michael Mendillo (b. 1944), professor of astronomy and electrical engineering at Boston University, is an expert in planetary ionospheres and of the diffuse sodium clouds escaping from solar-system bodies. He owns and exhibits an important collection of celestial charts from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.Discovered 26 February 2001 by Asiago-DLR Asteroid Survey, Cima Ekar

(78391) Michaeljager

Michael Jäger (b. 1958) is one of the most prolific and recognized comet astrophotographers. Within the last decades he imaged around 300 different comets and discovered comet P/1998 U3 as well as fragment D of comet 141P/Machholz. In 2002 he assisted the discoverer with confirmation of comet C/2002 O4 (Hönig).Discovered 8 August 2002 by S. F. Hoenig, Palomar

(79647) Ballack

Michael Ballack (b. 1976) is a German professional footballer. Ballack began his career as a youth footballer at his local team at Chemnitz (about 20 km north of Drebach) and made his professional debut in 1995.Discovered 22 September 1998 by Lehmann, G., Kandler, J., Drebach

(92893) Michaelperson

Michael J. Person (b. 1970) is currently a planetary scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He specializes in occultation studies of small bodies in the outer solar system, especially Neptune I (Triton), (134340) Pluto and (134340) Pluto I (Charon).Discovered 27 August 2000 by S. D. Kern, Cerro Tololo

(111558) Barrett

Michael Barrett (b. 1955) is an avid eclipse chaser who has observed over 14 total or annular solar eclipses, beginning in 1972. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Chicago Astronomical Society for 20 years, including some time as treasurer, and he was the general chairman of Astrofest for three years.Discovered 6 January 2002 by B. L. Stevens, Desert Moon

(114023) Harvanek

Michael J. Harvanek (b. 1963) is an American astronomer and a significant contributor to the Sloan Digital Sky Survey.Discovered 29 October 2002 by Sloan Digital Sky Survey, Apache Point

(117704) Lopez-Alegria

Michael Lopez-Alegria (b. 1958) is a retired astronaut who flew on four NASA missions aboard the Space Shuttle, the Soyuz spacecraft and the International Space Station. He performed ten spacewalks over his 257 days in space. While in space, he performed experiments on materials, biotechnology and combustion.Discovered 12 March 2005 by M. W. Buie, Kitt Peak

(121315) Mikelentz

Michael W. Lentz (b. 1968) is an artist in the Conceptual Image Lab at GSFC. He worked for over three years to develop art and animation for the OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission to illustrate the scope and magnitude of the scientific endeavor to study the asteroid Bennu.Discovered 4 September 1999 by CSS, Catalina

(121654) Michaelpryzby

Michael S. Pryzby (b. 1967) is the Instrument Systems Engineer on the OSIRIS-REx Mission. Prior to this, he was the Lead Spacecraft Systems Engineer on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. In his career, he has supported NASA GSFC for over 25 years.Discovered 4 December 1999 by CSS, Catalina

(127810) Michaelwright

Michael Wright (b. 1960) is OSIRIS-REx project lead for assembly, test, and launch operations. He is also an exploration systems engineer, developing concepts for human exploration of Mars. He served as an integration and test manager for over a dozen missions including FREESTAR on the final flight of space shuttle Columbia.Discovered 28 March 2003 by CSS, Catalina

(129158) Michaelmellman

Michael J. Mellman (b. 1977) is the Lockheed Martin electrical ground equipment lead and test engineer for the OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission. He was also a shop lead for an electronics laboratory and a surveyor.Discovered 30 March 2005 by CSS, Catalina

(129966) Michaelward

Michael Ward (b. 1964) served as the configuration manager on the OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission OCAMS camera. He also worked as mission operations manager for GRS on Mars Odyssey.Discovered 29 October 1999 by CSS, Catalina

(129973) Michaeldaly

Michael Daly (b. 1965) is a professor of planetary science at York University and is the lead scientist for the OSIRIS-REx Laser Altimeter. Prior to this, he was the lead engineer for the development of Phoenix MET, Canada's first instruments to operate on the surface of Mars.Discovered 30 October 1999 by CSS, Catalina

(131245) Bakich

As senior editor of Astronomy, Michael E. Bakich (b. 1953) serves as a science popularizer. A historian of astronomy specializing in the nineteenth century, he spent 30 years in planetaria as educator and consultant. He also wrote several books, including the Cambridge Encyclopedia of Amateur Astronomy.Discovered 16 March 2001 by D. Healy, Junk Bond

(133832) Loveridge

Michael Francis Ubaldo Loveridge (b. 1993) worked on NASA's OSIRIS-REx Mission as a software engineer at the Science Processing and Operations Center. His primary contributions included work on science data assembly and processing software.Discovered 5 December 2003 by CSS, Catalina

(140980) Blanton

Michael Blanton (b. 1973) is an American astronomer and a contributor to the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, best known for work on the galaxy-luminosity function.Discovered 12 November 2001 by Sloan Digital Sky Survey, Apache Point

(146921) Michaelbuckley

Michael R. Buckley (b. 1969) is a senior public affairs specialist at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. He served as the Public Affairs Officer for the New Horizons Mission to Pluto.Discovered 6 February 2002 by M. W. Buie, Kitt Peak

(159999) Michaelgriffin

Michael D. Griffin (b. 1949) served as the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Space Department Head and previously served as the NASA Administrator during the New Horizons Mission to Pluto.Discovered 2 March 2006 by M. W. Buie, Kitt Peak

(162395) Michaelbird

Michael K. Bird (b. 1944) is a German planetary scientist from the University of Bonn in Germany, who served as a Science Team Collaborator for radio science for the NASA New Horizons Mission to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt. He was a co-lead on the radiometric thermal measurements of Pluto and Arrokoth.Discovered 5 February 2000 by M. W. Buie, Kitt Peak

(165612) Stackpole

Michael Stackpole (b. 1957), currently living in Arizona, is a prolific and popular science fiction author, as well as a popular advocate for science and rational thinking through his writing, media appearances and public speaking.Discovered 23 March 2001 by D. Healy, Junk Bond

(165659) Michaelhicks

Michael D. Hicks (b. 1964), a scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is an avid observer, who specializes in spectroscopy and photometry of minor planets.Discovered 15 June 2001 by NEAT, Haleakala

(170008) Michaelstrauss

Michael Strauss (b. 1961) is an American astronomer and a contributor to the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, known for discoveries of very distant quasars with SDSS.Discovered 5 October 2002 by Sloan Digital Sky Survey, Apache Point

(170023) Vogeley

Michael S. Vogeley (b. 1965) is an American astronomer, a contributor to the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, known for studies of the large-scale distribution of galaxies.Discovered 30 October 2002 by Sloan Digital Sky Survey, Apache Point

(172269) Tator

Michael Tator (1956-2009) was a German amateur astronomer and co-founder of Turtle Star Observatory in Muelheim-Ruhr. In 1995 he started astrometric work at the observatory that led to the discovery of this minor planet.Discovered 9 October 2002 by Martin, A., Boeker, A., Mulheim-Ruhr

(182044) Ryschkewitsch

Michael Ryschkewitsch (b. 1951) of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), served as the NASA Headquarters Chief Engineer and then as the Head of the APL Space Department for the New Horizons Mission to Pluto.Discovered 5 February 2000 by M. W. Buie, Kitt Peak

(187981) Soluri

Michael R. Soluri (b. 1946) is a documentary photographer who served as the official project photographer for the New Horizons Mission to Pluto.Discovered 19 August 2001 by M. W. Buie, Cerro Tololo

(189035) Michaelsummers

Michael E. Summers (b. 1954) is a professor of planetary sciences and astronomy at George Mason University. He served as a co-investigator and as a Deputy Atmospheres Team Lead for the New Horizons Mission to Pluto.Discovered 5 February 2000 by M. W. Buie, Kitt Peak

(197845) Michaelvincent

Michael A. Vincent (b. 1978), an Assistant Director for Research and Development at the Southwest Research Institute, served as the REX Instrument Project Manager and Deputy Payload Systems Engineer for the New Horizons Mission to Pluto.Discovered 14 August 2004 by M. W. Buie, Cerro Tololo

(205823) Michaeldavis

Michael W. Davis (b. 1975) is an American staff scientist at the Southwest Research Institute. He helped to build and test the Alice ultraviolet spectrograph on NASA's New Horizons mission to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt.Discovered 8 February 2002 by M. W. Buie, Kitt Peak

(217124) Michaelsalinas

Michael J. Salinas (b. 1995) is an American engineer at KinetX Aerospace. He served as an orbit determination analyst for the NASA New Horizons mission trajectory to the Kuiper belt object Arrokoth.Discovered 6 February 2002 by M. W. Buie, Kitt Peak

(224962) Michaelgrunewald

Michael Grünewald (b. 1965) is the son-in-law of the discoverer.Discovered 11 March 2007 by R. Apitzsch, Wildberg

(231609) Sarcander

Michael Sarcander (b. 1955), German astronomer and long-time technical manager of the planetarium in Mannheim, has produced many educational shows for the general public. He has published several hundred observing tips for asteroids reaching a favorable apparition or closely approaching other celestial objects.Discovered 10 September 2009 by ESA OGS, ESA OGS

(268057) Michaelkaschke

Under the leadership of Michael Kaschke (b. 1957), ZEISS has evolved into a full-fledged global company. Outside the company, he sponsored general scientific, social projects and university research. Kaschke is also the driving force to create the German Optical Museum in Jena.Discovered 8 September 2004 by KLENOT, Klet

(273262) Cottam

Michael Gordon Cottam (b. 1945) is an English-Canadian physicist known for his work on the quantum theory of condensed matter systems, particularly in low dimensions and in nanostructures. His expertise includes the excitations or waves that can propagate in these systems and their nonlinear dynamics.Discovered 25 May 2006 by P. A. Wiegert, Mauna Kea

(281661) Michaelsiems

Michael Siems (b. 1960) is a German boomerang thrower who began building boomerangs in 1982. He is a longtime friend of the discoverer, sharing the passion for boomerang sport. Siems won the German Championship in 1986 and often was captain of the German team at international competitions. He designed new boomerang shapes and is the author of several books.Discovered 8 November 2008 by E. Schwab, Tzec Maun

(287374) Vreeland

Michael James Vreeland (1838–1876) was a Civil War Union Brevet Brigadier General, seriously wounded in the Battle of Gettysburg, who would later die from his injuries. He was a great-grandfather of the discoverer.Discovered 2 November 2002 by J. W. Young, Wrightwood

(298877) Michaelreynolds

Michael D. Reynolds (b. 1954) has spent many years inspiring students in astronomy in his role as Dean of mathematics and sciences and professor of astronomy at Florida State College in Jacksonville, Florida. He was director of the Chabot Science Center in California from 1991 to 2002.Discovered 23 September 2004 by Jarnac, Vail-Jarnac

(329018) Neufeld

Michael J. Neufeld (b. 1951) is a Senior Curator at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. He has written the authoritative biography of Wernher von Braun and has published articles on the history of NASA planetary exploration.Discovered 1 December 2005 by R. L. Millis L. H. Wasserman, Kitt Peak

(333052) Skeen

Michael Skeen (b. 1990), an American engineer, worked on the OSIRIS-REx mission as the Risk Reduction Test Lead and the Mission Operations Testbed Lead. He also worked as a spacecraft Systems Engineer throughout the development and mission operations phases of the project.Discovered 20 October 2007 by Mt. Lemmon Survey, Mount Lemmon

(333106) Lujan

Michael N. Lujan (b. 1994) is a program coordinator. He was the Technical Support and Facility Manager for the OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission.Discovered 20 December 2004 by Mt. Lemmon Survey, Mount Lemmon

(333234) Michaelstarobin

Michael A. Starobin (b. 1968) is an American writer, filmmaker, and producer. Involved with NASA's OSIRIS REX mission since 2007, he produced and directed live coverage of sample return operations in 2023, as well as other live mission events since its inception. His perspective is that science solves, art explains; respect for both helps repair the world.Discovered 6 February 2007 by Mt. Lemmon Survey, Mount Lemmon

(333608) Michaelkaye

Michael Kaye (b. 1988) is an American systems engineer who was a spacecraft technician at Lockheed Martin involved in OSIRIS-REx spacecraft assembly. He was one of the recovery specialists who recovered the OSIRIS-REx capsule and opened the science canister at Johnson Space Center.Discovered 10 May 2007 by Mt. Lemmon Survey, Mount Lemmon

(353682) Maberry

Michael T. Maberry (b. 1952) was the Assistant Director of the Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaiʻi, USA. He was responsible for management of Haleakala Observatories including permitting and construction of Pan-STARRS. He was Co-PI of the Maui High Performance Computing Center, where the early Pan-STARRS Image Processing Pipeline was hosted.Discovered 19 June 2006 by Mount Lemmon Survey, Mount Lemmon

(438881) Michaelkhan

Michael Khan (b. 1962) is a German spaceflight engineer who has played a key role as a mission analyst in numerous ESA missions exploring the solar system. His contributions have been particularly significant for the Rosetta and Hera missions, as well as for upcoming missions such as Comet Interceptor and RAMSES.Discovered 10 September 2009 by ESA OGS, ESA OGS

(469366) Watkins

Michael Watkins (b. 1963) was Manager of JPL's Science Division from 2013-2015. He personally created a new vision for the Division, set the standard for scientific and strategic leadership and guided the Science Division in providing that leadership to JPL. In 2016, he became the ninth director of JPL.Discovered 11 August 2001 by NEAT, Haleakala

(554979) Michaelmazur

Michael J. Mazur (b. 1971) is a Canadian space scientist with the Meteor Physics Group of the Department of Physics & Astronomy of Western University. His research interests include the study of the orbits and physical properties of meteors and meteoroids using optical and radar instrumentation.Discovered 26 April 2004 by D. D. Balam P. A. Wiegert, Maunakea

(568959) Michaellesko

Michael Lesko (b. 2004) is a Canadian student of astrophysics at the University of Waterloo as well as an intern at the Canadian Space Agency. He is a close collaborator with the Optical Transient Survey conducted at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory in Victoria.Discovered 16 January 2005 by D. D. Balam P. A. Wiegert, Maunakea

(604773) Michaelmoller

Michael Möller (b. 1953) is a German amateur astronomer. He was for some years the chief executive officer of the Vereinigung der Sternfreunde, the largest astronomical association in Germany. His main fields of observing are the sun, comets, and eruptive variables.Discovered 6 September 2015 by J. Jahn, SATINO Remote

(635381) Michaelcoates

Michael da Silva Coates (1942–2014) was a college friend of the discoverer. After graduating from St Andrews University in Scotland, he worked as a Clinical Psychologist helping countless children deal with the trauma of broken homes and abusive upbringing. He loved music and had a successful hobby recording choirs and orchestras in Canada and Shetland.Discovered 11 April 2013 by N. Falla, iTelescope

(755002) Richer

Michael G. Richer (b. 1964) is a Canadian astronomer of the Instituto de Astronomía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. He has held leadership positions in administration and on instrumental projects, in addition to teaching regularly and contributing to outreach. Michael has published over 90 refereed papers, focusing mainly upon planetary nebulae.Discovered 4 June 2011 by EURONEAR, Cerro Tololo

(756832) Balogh

Michael Balogh (b. 1972) is a Canadian Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Waterloo and a former graduate student at the University of Victoria. His research interests include the study of the physical properties of distant galaxies and theoretical work to understand the formation of planets.Discovered 11 October 1999 by D. D. Balam, Maunakea

(776645) Michaelkarrer

Michael Karrer (1959–2025) was an Austrian adult education teacher and amateur astronomer. He was known for his astrophotography, especially his high-resolution solar images.Discovered 8 February 2008 by R. Gierlinger, Gaisberg

Other first names