Named in memory of James Edward Keeler (1857–1900), pioneer American astrophysicist and second director of the Lick Observatory. He measured accurately the wavelengths of the chief nebular lines, confirmed spectroscopically the particle nature of Saturn’s rings and recognized the spiral “nebulae” as numerous, important constituents of the universe. In 1899 he also discovered photographically with the Crossley reflector the faint minor planet  (452) Hamiltonia. (M 13172) _ _.