A reporter from Science and Technology Daily (reporter Zhang Ye) learned in the middle of May that on the occasion of the 64th anniversary of Nanjing University of Information Engineering (hereinafter referred to as Nanxin University), the IAU Small Object Naming Committee named the asteroid 236788 "Nanxin Big Star". Recently, the unveiling ceremony of the "Nanxin Big Star" memorial sculpture was held in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province.
The naming of asteroids is international, permanent and unchangeable. Once it is approved by the Small Object Naming Committee of the International Astronomical Union, it will become the permanent star name of the object.
"Nanxin Big Star" was discovered by the Near Earth Small Object Search Project Team of Zijinshan Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences on August 9, 2007. Li Beiqun, secretary of the Party Committee and president of Nanxin University, said: "Since its establishment, Nanxin University has adhered to the concept of science and education integration, promoted inter disciplinary integration, actively trained top-notch innovative talents, and established a complete talent training mechanism."
It is reported that many universities in China have been named after asteroids. In the vast universe, there are more than one hundred asteroids named after Chinese outstanding figures, Chinese provinces, cities and place names.
