The International Astronomical Union (IAU) officially named Minor Planet No. 6636 in honor of Dr. Roman L. Kintanar ’48 last week. Kintanar headed the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) for nearly 36 years before retiring in 1994. It was the Astronomical League of the Philippines which proposed the asteroid’s name to the IAU “in recognition of Kintanar’s long service and innumerable contributions to the advancement and modernization of weather forecasting in the Philippines, as well as for inspiring future astronomers.”
The official citation for Asteroid 6636 Kintanar was published in Minor Planet Center Circular No. 59384 on April 2. It reads: “Roman Lucero Kintanar (b. 1929) directed the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration from 1958 to 1994. A dedicated public servant and distinguished scientist, he was president of the UN World Meteorological Organization during 1979-1987.”
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