Johann Palisa

Johann Palisa
Born	December 6, 1848 Troppau
Died	May 2, 1925 (aged 76)
Nationality	Austrian
Fields	astronomy
Institutions	University of Vienna
Known for	asteroids
Notable awards	Lalande Prize, 1876 Valz Prize, 1906

Johann Palisa (December 6, 1848 – May 2, 1925) was an Austrian astronomer, born in Troppau in Austrian Silesia (now in the Czech Republic).^[1]

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.

He was awarded the Valz Prize from the French Academy of Sciences in 1906.^[2] The Phocaea main-belt asteroid 914 Palisana, discovered by Max Wolf in 1919, and the lunar crater Palisa were named in his honour.^[3]

Early work

A view of the City of Pula

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.^[1]

Discoveries

253 Mathilde (imaged by NEAR)

Between 1874 and 1923 Palisa discovered 122 asteroids ranging from 136 Austria to 1073 Gellivara and the much later numbered Mars-crosser 14309 Defoy, respectively (see table below).^[4] He worked from Pola and Vienna. He also discovered the parabolic comet C/1879 Q1 in the year 1879.^[1][5]

One of his discoveries was 253 Mathilde, which was visited by the spacecraft NEAR Shoemaker on June 27, 1997. The robotic probe passed within 1200 km of Mathilde at 12:56 UT at 9.93 km/s, returning imaging and other instrument data including over 500 images which covered 60% of Mathilde's surface.^[6]

List of discovered asteroids

Discoveries by Johann Palisa (i) 136 Austria March 18, 1874 137 Meliboea April 21, 1874 140 Siwa October 13, 1874 142 Polana January 28, 1875 143 Adria February 23, 1875 151 Abundantia November 1, 1875 153 Hilda November 2, 1875 155 Scylla November 8, 1875 156 Xanthippe November 22, 1875 178 Belisana November 6, 1877 182 Elsa February 7, 1878 183 Istria February 8, 1878 184 Dejopeja February 28, 1878 192 Nausikaa February 17, 1879 195 Eurykleia April 19, 1879 197 Arete May 21, 1879 201 Penelope August 7, 1879 204 Kallisto October 8, 1879 205 Martha October 13, 1879 207 Hedda October 17, 1879 208 Lacrimosa October 21, 1879 210 Isabella November 12, 1879 211 Isolda December 10, 1879 212 Medea February 6, 1880 214 Aschera February 29, 1880 216 Kleopatra April 10, 1880 218 Bianca September 4, 1880 219 Thusnelda September 30, 1880 220 Stephania May 19, 1881 221 Eos January 18, 1882 222 Lucia February 9, 1882 223 Rosa March 9, 1882 224 Oceana March 30, 1882 225 Henrietta April 19, 1882 226 Weringia July 19, 1882 228 Agathe August 19, 1882 229 Adelinda August 22, 1882 231 Vindobona September 10, 1882 232 Russia January 31, 1883 235 Carolina November 28, 1883 236 Honoria April 26, 1884

Discoveries by Johann Palisa (ii) 237 Coelestina June 27, 1884 239 Adrastea August 18, 1884 242 Kriemhild September 22, 1884 243 Ida September 29, 1884 244 Sita October 14, 1884 248 Lameia June 5, 1885 250 Bettina September 3, 1885 251 Sophia October 4, 1885 253 Mathilde November 12, 1885 254 Augusta March 31, 1886 255 Oppavia March 31, 1886 256 Walpurga April 3, 1886 257 Silesia April 5, 1886 260 Huberta October 3, 1886 262 Valda November 3, 1886 263 Dresda November 3, 1886 265 Anna February 25, 1887 266 Aline May 17, 1887 269 Justitia September 21, 1887 273 Atropos March 8, 1888 274 Philagoria April 3, 1888 275 Sapientia April 15, 1888 276 Adelheid April 17, 1888 278 Paulina May 16, 1888 279 Thule October 25, 1888 280 Philia October 29, 1888 281 Lucretia October 31, 1888 286 Iclea August 3, 1889 290 Bruna March 20, 1890 291 Alice April 25, 1890 292 Ludovica April 25, 1890 295 Theresia August 17, 1890 299 Thora October 6, 1890 301 Bavaria November 16, 1890 304 Olga February 14, 1891 309 Fraternitas April 6, 1891 313 Chaldaea August 30, 1891 315 Constantia September 4, 1891 320 Katharina October 11, 1891 321 Florentina October 15, 1891 324 Bamberga February 25, 1892

Discoveries by Johann Palisa (iii) 326 Tamara March 19, 1892 569 Misa July 27, 1905 583 Klotilde December 31, 1905 652 Jubilatrix November 4, 1907 671 Carnegia September 21, 1908 687 Tinette August 16, 1909 688 Melanie August 25, 1909 689 Zita September 12, 1909 703 Noëmi October 3, 1910 710 Gertrud February 28, 1911 711 Marmulla March 1, 1911 716 Berkeley July 30, 1911 718 Erida September 29, 1911 719 Albert October 3, 1911 722 Frieda October 18, 1911 723 Hammonia October 21, 1911 724 Hapag October 21, 1911 725 Amanda October 21, 1911 728 Leonisis February 16, 1912 730 Athanasia April 10, 1912 734 Benda October 11, 1912 750 Oskar April 28, 1913 782 Montefiore March 18, 1914 783 Nora March 18, 1914 794 Irenaea August 27, 1914 795 Fini September 26, 1914 803 Picka March 21, 1915 827 Wolfiana August 29, 1916 828 Lindemannia August 29, 1916 867 Kovacia February 25, 1917 876 Scott June 20, 1917 902 Probitas September 3, 1918 903 Nealley September 13, 1918 932 Hooveria March 23, 1920 941 Murray October 10, 1920 964 Subamara October 27, 1921 975 Perseverantia March 27, 1922 996 Hilaritas March 21, 1923 1073 Gellivara September 14, 1923 14309 Defoy September 22, 1908

References

1. Herbert Raab. "Johann Palisa, the most successful visual discoverer of asteroids" (PDF). Astrometrica. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
2. Lockyer, Sir Norman (January 3, 1907). "Prizes Awarded and Proposed by the Paris Academy of Sciences". Nature. 75 (1940): 231. Bibcode:1907Natur..75R.231.. doi:10.1038/075231b0.
3. Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (914) Palisana. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 82. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
4. "Minor Planet Discoverers (by number)". Minor Planet Center. 23 May 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
5. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: C/1879 Q1 (Palisa)". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
6. Williams, David R. (December 18, 2001). "NEAR Flyby of Asteroid 253 Mathilde". NASA. Retrieved 2006-08-10.

External links

• Portraits of Johann Palisa from the Lick Observatory Records Digital Archive, UC Santa Cruz Library's Digital Collections

Obituaries

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