X-Nico

unusual facts about amateur astronomy



1681 Steinmetz

According to a proposal by Otto Kippes, who verified the discovery, it was named after German amateur astronomer Julius Steinmetz (1893–1965) from Gerolfingen.

1690 Mayrhofer

According to a proposal by Otto Kippes, who verified the discovery, it was named after Austrian amateur astronomer Karl Mayrhofer from Ried im Innkreis.

6834 Hunfeld

It is named after Jan Hunfeld, a Dutch journalist whose weekly science page in the Meppeler Courant (based in Meppel) included activities of the Royal Dutch amateur astronomy society.

9929 McConnell

John C. McConnell FRAS, who was born in 1946, comes from Maghaberry, Northern Ireland, and is well known among both professional and amateur astronomers, takes a particular interest in observational astronomy and astrophotography, and also in the history of Irish astronomy, where he has amassed a vast collection of material.

C/2010 X1

Comet C/2010 X1 (Elenin) is a long-period comet discovered by Russian amateur astronomer Leonid Elenin on December 10, 2010, through remote control of the International Scientific Optical Network's robotic observatory near Mayhill in the U.S. state of New Mexico.

Leviathan of Parsonstown

In 1994 the retired structural engineer and amateur astronomer Michael Tubridy was called in to research and re-design the Rosse six-foot telescope.


see also

Stephen J. Edberg

Edberg is the Executive Director of one of the world's largest amateur astronomy events, RTMC Astronomy Expo, held each May in Big Bear, California.