Dictionary of Minor Planet Names

Until recently, minor planet name citations were scattered in the astronomical literature, and the origin of many names remained obscure. The IAU Commission 20 established a study group in 1988 to elucidate the meanings of asteroid names, and the author has continued collecting and indexing all new relevant data. In addition to being of practical value for identification purposes, the collection provides a most interesting historical insight into the work of those astronomers who over two centuries put so much effort into the rich and colourful variety of ingenious names, from heavenly goddesses to more prosaic constructions. This fourth, revised and enlarged edition is supplemented by a CD-ROM.