Named in memory of John A. Brashear (1840–1920), maker of astronomical telescopes and scientific instruments, popularizer of astronomy and university administrator. Brashear contributed much to the siting, design and fundraising for the Allegheny Observatory {see also planet  (457)}, and his firm constructed its 0.76-m refractor and 0.79-m Keeler reflector. He figured the 0.4-m photographic doublet with which Max Wolf {see planets  (827) and  (1217), respectively} discovered many minor planets. He also had connections with the Lowell Observatory, notably in the design and construction of a fast spectrograph that was ultimately used to record the first recessional velocities of galaxies, and through the provision of a 0.13-m objective used in Lowell’s {see planet  (1886)} first search for a transneptunian planet. (M 25977; M 26439) _ _.