is a Japanese amateur
astronomer, discoverer of
minor planets, and, by profession, a junior high school science teacher.
As a planetarian, a member of the professional staff of a
planetarium
A planetarium ( planetariums or ''planetaria'') is a theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navigation.
A dominant feature of most planetarium ...
, he has done much for the spread of astronomy in Japan through speaking on planetaria and the results of astronomical observation.
In 2001, while working as support staff at JK1ZAM, the club station of Iruma Children’s Center (an educational institution for children in Iruma City), he helped achieve the first ARISS school contact in Japan. Also, in 2003, as a coordinating teacher, he helped accomplish the first solo contact between a junior high school in Japan and the ISS, with the support of JK1ZAM. He regularly spoke on the astronomical talk program ''Sunset Café'' at the local radio station "FM CHAPPY 77.7" from December 2006 to November 2008. He held the position of vice-director on the board of the Saitama Planetarium Liaison Council (2007–2008). He supports ARISS (
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS), operating in the Amateur-satellite service, is a project sponsored by various entities and carried out by astronauts and cosmonauts on the International Space Station who also have an a ...
), which is a program that offers students an opportunity to experience the excitement of amateur radio by talking directly with crew members of the ISS (
International Space Station).
The
Eos main-belt asteroid
6025 Naotosato
6025 Naotosato, provisional designation , is an Eoan asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 19 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 30 December 1992, by Japanese astronomer Takeshi Urata at the Nihondaira Observ ...
, which Takeshi Urata discovered in 1992, was named after him.
Discoveries of minor planets
Since 1995, Satō has discovered a large number of
minor planets from his own Chichibu Astronomical Observatory at
Chichibu
is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 61,159 in 26,380 households and a population density of . The total area of the city is .
Geography
Chichibu is in the westernmost part of Saitama. Unli ...
,
including
asteroid
An asteroid is a minor planet of the inner Solar System. Sizes and shapes of asteroids vary significantly, ranging from 1-meter rocks to a dwarf planet almost 1000 km in diameter; they are rocky, metallic or icy bodies with no atmosphere.
...
s such as
7038 Tokorozawa,
7851 Azumino,
8581 Johnen,
8924 Iruma,
9418 Mayumi and
118230 Sado 118 may refer to:
*118 (number)
*AD 118
*118 BC
*118 (TV series)
*118 (film)
*118 (Tees) Corps Engineer Regiment
*118 (Tees) Field Squadron, Royal Engineers
See also
*11/8 (disambiguation)
*Oganesson
Oganesson is a synthetic chemical element wi ...
. He is ranked among the top 50
asteroid discoverers in the world (''The Astronomy Yearbook – 2008''). The
Minor Planet Center
The Minor Planet Center (MPC) is the official body for observing and reporting on minor planets under the auspices of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Founded in 1947, it operates at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.
Function
...
credits him with the discovery of 142 minor planets during 1995–1998, of which 18 were co-discoveries with astronomer
Takeshi Urata
was a Japanese astronomer. He was a prolific discoverer of asteroids, observing at Nihondaira Observatory.
In 1978 he became the first amateur to discover a minor planet (2090 Mizuho) in over fifty years, which he named after his daughter, Mizu ...
''(also see table)''.
Naoto Satō is also known for the prediscovery of
C/1989 Y2, a
parabolic comet credited to McKenzie–
Russell
Russell may refer to:
People
* Russell (given name)
* Russell (surname)
* Lady Russell (disambiguation)
* Lord Russell (disambiguation)
Places Australia
*Russell, Australian Capital Territory
*Russell Island, Queensland (disambiguation)
**Ru ...
.
List
See also
*
List of minor planet discoverers
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sato, Naoto
1953 births
Discoverers of asteroids
*
20th-century Japanese astronomers
Living people