Vincenzo Zappalà (born 1945) is an Italian
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 discoverer of several
main-belt asteroids
The asteroid belt is a torus-shaped region in the Solar System, located roughly between the orbits of the planets Jupiter and Mars. It contains a great many solid, irregularly shaped bodies, of many sizes, but much smaller than planets, called ...
.
He is 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 the discovered of 9
minor planet
According to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), a minor planet is an astronomical object in direct orbit around the Sun that is exclusively classified as neither a planet nor a comet. Before 2006, the IAU officially used the term ''minor ...
s.
All of his discoveries he made at
ESO
The European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere, commonly referred to as the European Southern Observatory (ESO), is an intergovernmental research organisation made up of 16 member states for ground-based ast ...
's Chilean
La Silla Observatory
La Silla Observatory is an astronomy, astronomical observatory in Chile with three telescopes built and operated by the European Southern Observatory (ESO). Several other telescopes are located at the site and are partly maintained by ESO. The obse ...
in 1984, with the exception of
17357 Lucataliano, which he discovered at
Mount Stromlo Observatory
Mount Stromlo Observatory located just outside Canberra, Australia, is part of the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the Australian National University (ANU).
History
The observatory was established in 1924 as The Commonweal ...
in 1978.
He has also been a long-term astronomer at the
Observatory of Turin
The Observatory of Turin ( it, Osservatorio Astronomico di Torino, links=no, also known as Pino Torinese; obs. code: 022) is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by Italy's National Institute for Astrophysics ( it, Istituto Nazionale ...
in
Pino Torinese
Pino Torinese is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about southeast of Turin.
Pino Torinese borders the following municipalities: Turin, Baldissero Torinese, Chieri, Pecetto Tor ...
.
Awards and honors
The main-belt asteroid
2813 Zappalà
Events
By place
Byzantine Empire
* June 22 – Battle of Versinikia: The Bulgars, led by Krum, ruler ('' khan'') of the Bulgarian Empire, defeat Emperor Michael I near Edirne (modern Turkey). The Byzantine army (26,000 men) i ...
, discovered by American astronomer
Edward Bowell
Edward L. G. "Ted" Bowell (born 1943 in London), is an American astronomer. Bowell was educated at Emanuel School London, University College, London, and the University of Paris.
He was principal investigator of the Lowell Observatory Near-Earth ...
at the U.S.
Anderson Mesa Station
Anderson Mesa Station is an astronomical observatory established in 1959 as a dark-sky observing site for Lowell Observatory. It is located at Anderson Mesa in Coconino County, Arizona, about 12 miles southeast of Lowell's main campus on Mars H ...
in 1981, is named in his honour.
List of discovered minor planets
See also
*
*
Zoran Knežević (astronomer)
Zoran Knežević ( sr-cyr, Зоран Кнежевић, born 23 August 1949 in Osijek) is a Serbian astronomer, who has been publishing since 1982. His major scientific contributions are in the field of movement of small Solar System bodies, thei ...
References
External links
Interview with Vincenzo Zappalà Part 1
Interview with Vincenzo Zappalà Part 2
1945 births
Discoverers of asteroids
*
20th-century Italian astronomers
Living people
{{Italy-astronomer-stub