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Two Armagh Observatory and Planetarium employees have become official asteroid namesakes, joining an institutional legacy that already includes 29 linked asteroids and a planned public orbital display at the observatory.

What is a key fact in this story? (1)

**Rok Nežič** became the namesake of asteroid (20560) Nežič, officially named in his honour nearly three decades after the object was discovered in New Mexico in 1999.

What is a key fact in this story? (2)

**Rok Nežič** joined Armagh Observatory and Planetarium in 2015 to complete his doctorate in space and climate physics and remained as the planetarium's tours and outreach officer.

'Rok' solid recognition for Slovenian space scientist — SkimNews

By BBC Environment · Summarized & edited by Kapil Samant · 2026-11-01

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Rok Nežič became the namesake of asteroid (20560) Nežič, officially named in his honour nearly three decades after the object was discovered in New Mexico in 1999.
Rok Nežič joined Armagh Observatory and Planetarium in 2015 to complete his doctorate in space and climate physics and remained as the planetarium's tours and outreach officer.
Rok Nežič described his 10.9km namesake asteroid as safely orbiting the Sun in the asteroid belt and unusually large among asteroids named after people.
Rok Nežič was nominated for the asteroid honour by his PhD supervisor and a former astronomer from the observatory; the International Astronomical Union allows discoverers to name asteroids once their orbits are sufficiently known.
Shane Kelly, Armagh's principal meteorological observer, received the second staff honour with asteroid (70500) Shanekelly, a 15.6km object discovered in Chile in 1982.
Michael Burton said Kelly's 27 years of daily readings exceeded the handwritten ledger entries of all 17 predecessors, within an Armagh weather record extending more than 230 years.
Armagh Observatory and Planetarium counts 29 asteroids with some connection to the institution and plans an LED dome showing Nežič's and Kelly's asteroids and their orbits.

Why it matters: Rok Nežič and Shane Kelly have moved from staff recognition to official namesakes under the International Astronomical Union's naming process, while their employer gains a tangible public exhibit. Armagh already links 29 asteroids to the observatory and planetarium, and its planned LED dome will turn the two honours into a visible orbital display.