Petar Đurković (Петар Ђурковић, 1908–1981) was a

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

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 ...

known for discovering two

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 in 1936 and 1940, respectively. One is named for the Serbian scientist

Milutin Milanković Milutin Milanković (sometimes Anglicisation of names, anglicised as Milutin Milankovitch; sr-Cyrl, Милутин Миланковић, ; 28 May 1879 – 12 December 1958) was a Serbian mathematician, astronomer, climatologist, geophysics, geo ...

, the other for

Zvezdara Zvezdara ( sr-cyr, Звездара, ) is a municipality of the city of Belgrade. The municipality is geographically hilly and with many forests. According to the 2022 census results, the municipality has a population of 172,625 inhabitants. The ...

, the hill in

Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...

where the

Belgrade Astronomical Observatory The Belgrade Observatory is an astronomical observatory located in the Zvezdara Forest in the eastern part of Belgrade, Serbia. History Origin (1887–1891) In 1879, Milan Nedeljković (1857–1950) received a scholarship to continue his ...

is located. Asteroid

1555 Dejan 1555 Dejan, provisional designation , is an asteroid from the background population of the central regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 22 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 15 September 1941, by Belgian astronomer Fernand Riga ...

, discovered by

Fernand Rigaux Fernand Rigaux (1905 – 21 September 1962) was a Belgian astronomer and observer of variable stars, minor planets and comets at the Royal Observatory at Uccle, Belgium. In 1951, he co-discovered the periodic comet 49P/Arend-Rigaux with his c ...

, was named after Đurković's son (). Đurković was the director of

Belgrade Observatory The Belgrade Observatory is an astronomical observatory located in the Zvezdara Forest in the eastern part of Belgrade, Serbia. History Origin (1887–1891) In 1879, Milan Nedeljković (1857–1950) received a scholarship to continue his ...

1965-1970. He was also president of the

Astronomical Society Ruđer Bošković Astronomical Society Ruđer Bošković () is an astronomical society in Belgrade, Serbia. Founded in 1934 by a group of students, it is the oldest one in the Balkans. Initially having only several members, today it gathers more than 700 astrono ...

, the oldest astronomical society in the

Balkans The Balkans ( , ), corresponding partially with the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throug ...

References

1908 births 1981 deaths 20th-century astronomers Discoverers of asteroids * Serbian astronomers University of Belgrade Faculty of Philosophy alumni {{serbia-scientist-stub