Named in honor of the Purple Mountain Observatory (PMO), established in 1934 in the eastern part of Nanjing {see planet  (2078)}, near the Yangtse River. Research undertaken at PMO includes celestial mechanics, astrophysics, and radio and space astronomy. Four comets and over one hundred minor planets have been discovered at PMO. The observatory has also played an important role in developing modern Chinese astronomy. (M 22829) _ _.