Named in honor of Masaki Morimoto (1932– ), Japanese radio astronomer who started his career at Mitaka {see planet  (1088)} and participated in the construction of the Culgoora radioheliograph in Australia. He successfully completed and used the Mitaka 6-m millimeter-wavelength telescope, then the 45-m telescope and 10-m interferometer at Nobeyama. His ideas led to the launch of the HALCA (VSOP) satellite with an 8-m telescope for space VLBI. He is now professor at Kagoshima University and established the astronomy program there. He has also served as president of IAU Commission 40. (M 30798; M 30819) _ _.