The PACJA’s SHADDAD’s name has gone to the space

On June 22, 2023, the International Astronomical Union working group on small bodies nomenclature (IAU) decisively decided to name the asteroid 33444 after Shaddad henceforth called it “Asteroid 33444 Shaddad”.

In an email sent to him, the IAU working group on small body nomenclature announced the asteroid was named after Shaddad [Muawia] in recognition of his great work on recovery and the study of asteroid 2008 TC3.

“It’s a great pleasure that I can pass on the news that the IAU working group on Small Body Nomenclature has just issued its bulletin volume 3, #9 in which is formerly announced that asteroid 33444 shall be called Shaddad henceforth in recognition of your work on the recovery and study of Asteroid 2008”, reads the communication from IAU working group to Prof. Muawia Shaddad. (Click here to download the attached Bulletin)

Prof. Muawia Hamid Shaddad is a civil society activist and co-founder of the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA).  Currently, he is the chairperson of the Advisory Council of PACJA.  Academically, Prof. Shaddad is an accomplished astronomer and has been a faculty member of the Physics Department, Faculty of Science University of Khartoum established in 1901. He has vast experience in chairpersonship of continental and regional Civil society.

The Asteroid 33444 named after Shaddad was discovered on 22 March 1999 with a diameter of 2.4 kilometers. It was discovered at an astronomical site called Anderson Mesa in Flagstaff, Arizona in the United States of America.  The asteroid 33444 was discovered by the team of astronomical discoverers of LONEOS, a project that began in 1993 and ran until the end of February 2008.

This is the asteroid orbit Diagram of 33444 Shaddad as of June 26 at 00:00 UTC with an Earth Distance of 1.565 Astronomical Units (au) and a Sun Distance of 2.194 Astronomical Units. 1 au = 149,597,870.7 kilometer.

What is the IAU?

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) is an internationally recognized body with the mission to promote and safeguard the science of astronomy in all its aspects. Its international membership consists of astronomical societies representing national or regional interests and individual astronomers active in professional research, education, and outreach of astronomy.

Some of its key activities include Organizing scientific meetings around the globe; Defining fundamental astronomical and physical constants and ambiguous astronomical nomenclature; Facilitating informal discussion on the possibility of future large-scale international observing facilities; Assigning naming designations to celestial bodies and their surface features; Promoting astronomical research, education and outreach within the public sphere.