Saanich has officially joined the stars – quite literally.
A kilometre-wide asteroid, first spotted more than two decades ago by Saanich astronomer Dave Balam, has been officially designated a minor planet and named “Saanich” in honour of the district where Balam has spent his life studying the cosmos.
The rocky body, roughly the size of PKOLS (Mount Douglas), which is approximately one kilometre in diameter, orbits the sun once every 5.12 years in the vast expanse between Mars and Jupiter.
It was first observed on Aug. 29, 2003, from atop Mauna Kea volcano in Hawaii as part of the Canada-France Legacy Survey. Balam’s co-investigator on the discovery was Dr. Katherine Perrett.
Balam, then a research associate in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Victoria, discovered the object during an astronomical survey that same night.
“The new planet was found moving slowly through one of our survey fields, which was located on top of Mauna Kea,” Balam said.
By comparing three images taken 30 minutes apart, the object’s slow drift against the background of fixed stars revealed it as a previously uncatalogued body. Further analysis confirmed the asteroid – along with several dozen others from the same project – had never been seen before.
“The orbital characteristics of the object must be refined by continuous observation over many years to attain such a rank,” Balam said. “It has taken 22 years for the object to be ranked among the ‘permanently numbered’ category.”
That permanent designation marks a significant milestone in asteroid discovery.
Once a minor planet’s orbit is well-defined – typically after it has been tracked through at least four oppositions – the International Astronomical Union (IAU) assigns it a number and invites the discoverer to propose a name.
This asteroid was designated Saanich (745492).
Balam chose the name in tribute to the place where he has spent much of his career and life. He submitted a short citation to the IAU explaining the choice, in accordance with standard protocol.
As of May 1, the asteroid Saanich will be about 475 million kilometres from Earth, on the far side of the sun. Graphical plots of its orbit show a long, stable ellipse – a quiet passenger in the vast belt of rocks and dust circling the solar system.
Balam’s fascination with astronomy dates back to childhood.
“I’ve been studying astronomy since the age of four,” Balam said. “I was an amateur telescope maker in my teens, worked summers at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory from the age of 13, and have been a professional since 1976.”
With the naming now complete, Saanich joins thousands of other celestial bodies bearing names that honour cultures, places, and people on Earth – a small but enduring link between a local community and the wider universe.
