Discovered 1983 Nov. 29 by E. Bowell at the Anderson Mesa Station of the Lowell Observatory.

Named in honor of Mark V. Sykes, planetary scientist at the Steward Observatory of the University of Arizona, Tucson. Sykes was the first to suggest that the dust bands discovered in data from the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) were due to the catastrophic disruptions of small asteroids and comets. He has also discovered several additional dust bands, a second type of dust trail, and identified parent comets responsible for some of the IRAS dust trails.

Citation provided by E.F. Tedesco at the request of the discoverer.