The Asteroid No. 175419 Named After Albie Sachs, 2014 Tang Prize Winner in the Rule of Law
In honor of Justice Albie Sachs, the winner of Tang Prize and the former Judge to the Constitutional Court of South Africa, National Central University, Taiwan, proposed to name Asteroid No.175419 after him.The proposal was approved by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), and the asteroid, first discovered in 2006, is now officially named “Albiesachs.”
Albie Sachs is an internationally renowned law professor, and is one of the leaders of the liberation movement in South Africa. Through his life and work, he has contributed to the realization of the rule of law in a free and democratic South Africa. He has also devoted to human rights and justice globally through an understanding of the rule of law in which the dignity of all persons is respected, and the strengths and values of all communities are embraced.
The Lulin Observatory of the National Central University, Taiwan, has discovered hundreds of minor planets orbiting around the sun. For those with confirmed orbits, National Central University has the right to name them after prominent scientists, artists, musicians, writers, engineers and distinguished public figures in education who have made outstanding contributions to Taiwan and the international community. The International Astronomical Union has approved the naming of asteroid No. 175419 after Justice Albie Sachs of South Africa with the following citation:
“ Albie Sachs (b. 1935), Judge to the Constitutional Court of South Africa, has made global contributions to the understanding of democratic values, respect for diversity, social justice and fundamental human rights. “
Because of his life-long contributions to the fight for freedom of the South African people and fundamental work on the South African Constitution, Justice Albie Sachs has been awarded the first highly prestigious Tang Prize in Rule of Law in 2014. He is a frequent visitor to Taiwan to participate in academic meetings and lectures on legal issues and public service. He is generally regarded as a unique symbol of social justice and tolerance in Taiwan.
According to Director Chung-Ming Ko of the Institute of Astronomy, National Central University, asteroid No. 175419, now officially known as "Asteroid Albiesachs" was discovered in 2006 by Chi-Sheng Lin of National Central University and Quan-Zhi Ye, then at Sun Yat Sen University in China. The orbital period of Asteroid Albiesachs is 5.55 years and it's diameter is about 2-4 km. Prof. Ko notes that, besides an immortal heavenly body, Justice Albie Sachs also owns a Tang Chair on the campus of National Central University to commemorate his distinguished lecture in 2015 which was supported by the Wensayling Cultural and Educational Foundation and the University System of Taiwan.
