Named in memory of Franz Friedrich Ernst Brünnow (1821-1891), who started his scientific career in Berlin. He continued as the director of the observatory at Bilk, near Düsseldorf, but in 1851 returned to Berlin to become the first assistant at the observatory. He worked on comets and minor planets and published a textbook on spherical astronomy. He later moved to the United States to take up the post of director of the ne observatory at Ann Arbor. In 1865 he was appointed Royal Astronomer for Ireland. In that capacity he published in two parts his astronomical observations and researches made at Dunsink. Name suggested by L. D. Schmadel and J. Schubart, citation prepared by J. Schubart.