Asteroid named after Chinese botanist Kuang Tingyun

BEIJING, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- An asteroid has been officially named after Kuang Tingyun, a distinguished Chinese botanist renowned for her long-standing research on photosynthesis, the Institute of Botany under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IBCAS) said Tuesday.

A naming ceremony was held on Monday to officially bestow the honor, following approval from the International Astronomical Union, according to the institute.

The asteroid, coded 29509, was discovered in 1997 by the Schmidt CCD Asteroid Program of the National Astronomical Observatories under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Speaking at the ceremony, IBCAS director Wang Xiaoquan said the asteroid naming represents a lasting tribute to Kuang's outstanding scientific accomplishments and a high recognition of IBCAS's contributions to science and technology.

Kuang, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has made systematic and pioneering contributions to the study of photosynthetic membrane protein structure and function.