Walter R. Cooney Jr. is an American
chemical engineer
In the field of engineering, a chemical engineer is a professional, equipped with the knowledge of chemical engineering, who works principally in the chemical industry to convert basic raw materials into a variety of products and deals with the ...
, amateur
astronomer and discoverer of
minor planets and
variable stars.
Cooney, who is affiliated with the
Highland Road Park Observatory
Highland Road Park Observatory or Baton Rouge Observatory is an astronomical observatory jointly operated by Louisiana State University's astronomy department, Baton Rouge Astronomical Society, and The Recreation & Park Commission for the Parish ...
, 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 47 numbered minor planets during 1998–2005,
such as his lowest numbered identification
11739 Baton Rouge, a
Hildian asteroid named after the city of Baton Rouge where the discovering observatory is located.
Many of his minor planet discoveries he made in collaboration with astronomers
Matthew Collier
Matthew Samuel Collier is a veteran, business executive, entrepreneur, and speaker. At 29, he was elected as the youngest big-city "strong" mayor in the United States when he served as the chief executive of his hometown of Flint, Michigan, from ...
,
Patrick M. Motl,
Susannah Lazar,
Katrina Wefel
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 object, near-Earth and main-belt asteroids, Jupiter trojans and Distant minor planet, distant obj ...
,
Terry Martin,
Merrill Hess,
Ethan Kandler,
Meredith Howard, and most recently with
John Gross.
Cooney is also credited with discovering more than 50 variable stars.
List of discovered minor planets
References
20th-century American astronomers
21st-century American astronomers
Discoverers of asteroids
*
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)
{{US-astronomer-stub