Named in memory of John Franklin-Adams (1843–1912), the British amateur astronomer who acquired and originally owned the 0.25-m photographic refractor he later donated to the Union Observatory in Johannesburg. Initially utilized for the pioneering photographic survey of the Milky Way, the Franklin-Adams Star Camera was employed for observations of minor planets in Johannesburg and Hartbeespoort for almost 70 years. Among the many discoveries with this celebrated instrument was Proxima Centauri. (M 8402) _ _.