A planetoid found by China's National Observatory Station has been named after late scientist Wu Heng, bringing to 14 the number of planetoids in the solar system named for Chinese scientists and literature.

The planetoid was assigned the number 56088 by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), and on March 18, the IAU approved the name Wu Heng to commemorate the well-known man who devoted his entire life to science.

A planetoid is a celestial body that revolves around the sun, and it is the only object that can be named by the finder and acknowledged internationally. The first planetoid observed by humans was found by Italian astronomer Giuseppe Piazzi in 1801 and was named Ceres.

(Xinhua News Agency March 24, 2004)