Wendee Wallach-Levy, a 1975 graduate and wife of famous comet-hunter David Levy, asked the International Astronomical Union to name an asteroid after the university because of its contributions to astronomy and planetary science.

The asteroid named after the university is about five miles in diameter and has a circular orbit around the sun. It was discovered on May 24, 1993, at Palomar Observatory in California by David Levy and Carolyn Shoemaker. The two, along with Eugene Shoemaker, also were co-discoverers of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, which made headlines when it collided with Jupiter in 1994.

Actually, the asteroid’s name is Nemsu, since the IAU will not allow acronyms or initials.

NMSU astronomers plan to have a public event on Oct. 22 that will focus on asteroids in general and Nemsu in particular.

Wallach-Levy, who taught in the Las Cruces public schools for more than 20 years, now manages the Jarnac Observatory that she and David Levy operate at their home in Vail, Ariz., near Tucson.