Découvert le 5 août 1991 par H. E. Holt au Palomar Mountain Observatory.
Named in honor of Jean-Pierre Luminet (b. 1951), French researcher at Paris Observatory. Luminet specializes in general relativity and its applications to cosmology and astrophysics. He was the first to numerically visualize accretion disks around black holes, and co-discovered the phenomenon of " crêpe stellaire ", which causes the crushing of stars by the tidal forces of giant black holes. In cosmology, Luminet proposed a series of models of " univers chiffonnés ", in which complex topologies create ghost images. He is deeply involved in science outreach, both by publishing popular-level books and as a TV broadcaster.
Name suggested and citation prepared by M.A. Barucci.
(Minor Planets Circulars, 28 July 1999)
