is a Japanese amateur
astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses their studies on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. They observe astronomical objects such as stars, planets, natural satellite, moons, comets and galaxy, g ...
and a
discoverer of minor planets
This is a list of minor-planet discoverers credited by the Minor Planet Center with the discovery of one or several minor planets (such as near-Earth and main-belt asteroids, Jupiter trojans and distant objects). , the discovery of 612,011 numb ...
at the Nanyo Observatory (),
Yamagata prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. Yamagata Prefecture has a population of 1,079,950 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 9,325 km² (3,600 sq mi). Yamagata Prefecture borders Akita Prefecture to the north, ...
, Japan.
He is a prolific discoverer of
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, credited by 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
...
with a total of 130 discoveries between 1995 and 2000.
The main-belt asteroid
7769 Okuni, discovered by
Satoru Otomo
is a Japanese dentist, amateur astronomer and a discoverer of minor planets.
According to the Minor Planet Center, he is credited with the discovery of 148 asteroids between 1991 and 1997, 15 of which were co-discoveries with Osamu Muramatsu. As ...
at the Kiyosato Observatory in 1991, is named in his honour.
Naming citation was published on 9 January 2001 ().
List of discovered minor planets
See also
*
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Okuni, Tomimaru
1931 births
Discoverers of asteroids
*
20th-century Japanese astronomers
Living people