An asteroid was named on November 2 for a national fund-raising program to aid poor students in China, with the approval of the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

The naming of the Project Hope Asteroid is to mark the 10th anniversary of the founding of the educational fund.

The asteroid was spotted by Chinese astronomers in 1995 and got its permanent number, "7497," from the IAU in 1997. (Xinhua)