Named in honor of Vladimir Konstantinovich Prokof’ev {1898–1993}, well-known expert on atomic spectroscopy and emission spectral analysis, a professor at the Leningrad and Gorkij universities and since 1961 on the staff of the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory. He contributed much to solar ultraviolet spectroscopic research and discovered the presence of oxygen in the atmosphere of Venus. He served as president of IAU Commission 44 during 1970–1973. (M 10847) _ _.