Postdoctoral Fellow Nicholas Moskovitz has been added to the list of having an asteroid named after him.

The citation for Asteroid (8254) Moskovitz read:

“Nicholas A. Moskovitz (b. 1981) is a postdoctoral research scientist at the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington, D.C.  His research includes spectroscopy of differentiated minor planets and their relationships to meteorites, with a particular focus on Vesta-like objects and HED meteorites.”

DTM Director Linda T. Elkins-Tanton [Asteroid (8252) Elkins-Tanton] “whose studies of minor-planet formation, heating, and differentiation have implications for understanding the parent body origins of meteorites” also led to the naming of her own asteroid.

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) regulates the naming of asteroids.  In addition to Nick and Lindy, Rhonda Stroud [Asteroid (8468) Rhondastroud] was also added to the list of minor planet names.