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5 unusual facts about Cornelis Johannes van Houten


C. J. van Houten

Cornelis Johannes van Houten, Dutch astronomer and prolific discoverer of asteroids

Cornelis Johannes van Houten

Born in The Hague, he spent his entire career at Leiden University except for a brief period (1954–1956) as research assistant at Yerkes Observatory.

In a jointly-credited trio with Tom Gehrels and Ingrid, and occasionally including fellow astronomer Bernhard Schmidt, he was an extremely prolific discoverer of many thousands of asteroids.

Margaret Harwood

In 1960 2542 P-L was discovered by Cornelis Johannes van Houten and Ingrid van Houten-Groeneveld and named Harwood in honor of Margaret Harwood.

Michèle Moons

Her name has been given to the main-belt asteroid 7805 Moons, discovered in 1960 by Cornelis Johannes van Houten, Ingrid van Houten-Groeneveld and Tom Gehrels at Palomar Observatory.


10252 Heidigraf

It was discovered on March 26 1971 by Dutch astronomers Cornelis Johannes van Houten and Ingrid van Houten-Groeneveld on Palomar Schmidt plates taken by Tom Gehrels.


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