Dušan Kalmančok (born 1945) is a
Slovak astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. Astronomers observe astronomical objects, such as stars, planets, natural satellite, moons, comets and galaxy, galax ...
and co-discoverer of
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.
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.
Funct ...
with the discovery of 7
asteroid
An asteroid is a minor planet—an object larger than a meteoroid that is neither a planet nor an identified comet—that orbits within the Solar System#Inner Solar System, inner Solar System or is co-orbital with Jupiter (Trojan asteroids). As ...
s between 1996 and 2000,
and significantly contributed to the establishment of the
Modra Observatory, Slovakia, in 1988. Kalmančok has also been involved in elaborating its observational programs to study the Sun and
interplanetary matter.
The outer main-belt asteroid
29824 Kalmančok, discovered by astronomers
Leonard Kornoš and
Juraj Tóth at Modra, was named in his honor on 7 April 2005 ().
References
External links
Dušan Kalmančok and Juraj Tóth at Modra Observatory (Gallery)
1945 births
Discoverers of asteroids
*
Living people
Slovak astronomers
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