Igbo Name Now In Space As World Astronomical Body Names Asteroid ‘Okeke’ After UNN Prof
An asteroid that travels around the Sun has officially been named “Okeke” in honour of Professor Francisca Nneka Okeke of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
The honour was given by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the international body responsible for naming planets, stars, asteroids, and other objects in space.
Professor Okeke received this rare recognition because of her outstanding work in space science and ionospheric research, a field that studies the upper part of the Earth’s atmosphere and how it affects communication and satellite systems.
Asteroid 149831 will forever carry the name “Okeke” as it continues its journey around the Sun.
Professor Francisca Nneka Okeke is a professor of physics at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and a pioneer in atmospheric physics and space science.
She was recognised for her groundbreaking global research on the ionosphere, climate change, and the equatorial electrojet.
The space body was initially spotted by the Catalina Sky Survey located in Arizona, USA.
Having an asteroid officially named after you is one of the highest honours in the scientific world.
