Tamara Mikhaylovna Smirnova (December 15, 1935 â September 5, 2001) was a Soviet astronomer and a discoverer of minor planets and comets.
From 1966 to 1988, Tamara Smirnova was a staff member of the Institute of Theoretical Astronomy at Leningrad. She is credited by the Minor Planet Center with the discovery of 135 numbered minor planets during 1966âÂÂ1984. She also co-discovered the periodic comet 74P/Smirnova-Chernykh, along with Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh.
The main-belt asteroid 5540 Smirnova, discovered by herself in 1971, was named in her honor following a proposal by the Institute of Theoretical Astronomy. Naming citation was published on 17 March 1995 ().