Johann Palisa

Johann Palisa (December 6, 1848 – May 2, 1925) was an Austrian astronomer, born in Opava in Austrian Silesia (now in the Czech Republic).

He was a prolific discoverer of asteroids, discovering 122 in all, from 136 Austria in 1874 to 1073 Gellivara in 1923. Some of his notable discoveries include 153 Hilda, 216 Kleopatra, 243 Ida, 253 Mathilde, 324 Bamberga, and the Amor asteroid 719 Albert.

The asteroid 914 Palisana and the crater Palisa on the Moon were named in his honour.

Early work

From 1866 to 1870, Palisa studied mathematics and astronomy at the University of Vienna; however, he did not graduate until 1884. Despite this, by 1870 he was an assistant at the University's observatory, and a year later gained a position at the observatory in Geneva. A few years later, in 1872, at the age of 24, Palisa became the director of the Austrian Naval Observatory in Pula. While at Pula, he discovered his first asteroid, 136 Austria, on March 18, 1874. Along with this, he discovered twenty-seven minor planets and one comet. During his stay in Pula he used a small six-inch refractor telescope to aid in his research.

External links

• Herbert Raab. "Johann Palisa, the most successful visual discoverer of asteroids" (PDF). http://www.astrometrica.at/Papers/Palisa.pdf. 

Obituaries

• (German) von Hepperger, J. (November 1925). "Anzeige des Todes von Johann Palisa". Astronomische Nachrichten 225 (7): 125–127. Bibcode 1925AN....225..125V. doi:10.1002/asna.19252250706.