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Luboš Kohoutek

Luboš Kohoutek (Czech pronunciation: [ˈkoɦou̯tɛk]; 29 January 1935 – 30 December 2023) was a Czech astronomer and a discoverer of minor planets and comets, including Comet Kohoutek which was visible to the naked eye in 1973.[2][3] He also discovered a large number of planetary nebulae.[4]

Luboš Kohoutek
Kohoutek in 1974
Born(1935-01-29)29 January 1935
Zábřeh, Czechoslovakia
Died30 December 2023(2023-12-30) (aged 88)
Bergedorf, Hamburg, Germany
EducationMasaryk University
Known forDiscovery of Comet Kohoutek and various minor planets
Scientific career
FieldsPlanetary astronomy
Minor planets discovered: 76 [1]
see § List of discovered minor planets

Biography

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Kohoutek was born on 29 January 1935 to Hynek and Jarmila Kohoutek. His brother was the Czech composer Ctirad Kohoutek.

Kohoutek was interested in astronomy since high school. He studied physics and astronomy at universities in Brno and Prague (finished 1958). Then he started to work in the Astronomical Institute of Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, where he published a well-cited catalogue (Catalogue of Galactic Planetary Nebulae, 1967). Kohoutek obtained a long term position at the Bergedorf Observatory in Hamburg. After the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia (1968) he decided to stay in West Germany (1970). His discoveries in the 1970s made him well-known in the media. In later years, Kohoutek worked in observatories in Spain and Chile, studying planetary nebulae. He officially retired in 2001, yet kept researching at the Hamburg-Bergedorf Observatory. Kohoutek published 162 scientific works.[3]

 
Kohoutek at NASA Johnson Space Center mission control center during Skylab 4 mission talking with the astronauts on board about the Comet Kohoutek observations

Kohoutek is most famous for his discovery of numerous comets, including periodic comets 75D/Kohoutek and 76P/West–Kohoutek–Ikemura, as well as the famously disappointing "Comet Kohoutek" (C/1973 E1).[5]

Kohoutek also discovered numerous asteroids, including the Apollo asteroid 1865 Cerberus. The main-belt asteroid 1850 Kohoutek was named after him.[2]

Kohoutek died on 30 December 2023, at the age of 88.[6]

Discoveries

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Kohoutek discovered supernova SN 1973f, 5 comets, and 76 minor planets.

List of discovered comets

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List of discovered minor planets

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See also: Category:Discoveries by Luboš Kohoutek
1834 Palach 22 August 1969 list
1840 Hus 26 October 1971 list
1841 Masaryk 26 October 1971 list
1842 Hynek 14 January 1972 list
1843 Jarmila 14 January 1972 list
1861 Komenský 24 November 1970 list
1865 Cerberus 26 October 1971 list
1875 Neruda 22 August 1969 list
1894 Haffner 26 October 1971 list
1895 Larink 26 October 1971 list
1896 Beer 26 October 1971 list
1897 Hind 26 October 1971 list
1898 Cowell 26 October 1971 list
1899 Crommelin 26 October 1971 list
1901 Moravia 14 January 1972 list
1931 Čapek 22 August 1969 list
1932 Jansky 26 October 1971 list
1933 Tinchen 14 January 1972 list
1942 Jablunka 30 September 1972 list
1963 Bezovec 9 February 1975 list
1995 Hajek 26 October 1971 list
1999 Hirayama 27 February 1973 list
2047 Smetana 26 October 1971 list
2055 Dvořák 19 February 1974 list
2073 Janáček 19 February 1974 list
2281 Biela 26 October 1971 list
2375 Radek 8 January 1975 list
2407 Haug 27 February 1973 list
2418 Voskovec-Werich 26 October 1971 list
2472 Bradman 27 February 1973 list
2541 Edebono 27 February 1973 list
2667 Oikawa 30 October 1967 list
2767 Takenouchi 30 October 1967 list
2838 Takase 26 October 1971 list
2900 Lubos Perek 14 January 1972 list
2901 Bagehot 27 February 1973 list
3081 Martinůboh 26 October 1971 list
3109 Machin 19 February 1974 list
3303 Merta 30 October 1967 list
3336 Grygar 26 October 1971 list
3337 Miloš 26 October 1971 list
3407 Jimmysimms 28 February 1973 list
3475 Fichte 4 October 1972 list
3514 Hooke 26 October 1971 list
3627 Sayers 28 February 1973 list
3635 Kreutz 21 November 1981 list
3769 Arthurmiller 30 October 1967 list [A]
3825 Nürnberg 30 October 1967 list
4137 Crabtree 24 November 1970 list
4425 Bilk 30 October 1967 list
5268 Černohorský 26 October 1971 list
6215 Mehdia 7 March 1973 list
(6431) 1967 UT 30 October 1967 list
(6680) 1970 WD 24 November 1970 list
(7044) 1971 UK 26 October 1971 list
7806 Umasslowell 26 October 1971 list
(8606) 1971 UG 26 October 1971 list
(8607) 1971 UT 26 October 1971 list
(8779) 1971 UH1 26 October 1971 list
(9513) 1971 UN 26 October 1971 list
10003 Caryhuang 26 October 1971 list
(10260) 1972 TC 4 October 1972 list
(10987) 1967 US 30 October 1967 list
(11250) 1972 AU 14 January 1972 list
(11436) 1969 QR 22 August 1969 list
(11783) 1971 UN1 26 October 1971 list
(11784) 1971 UT1 26 October 1971 list
(14311) 1971 UK1 26 October 1971 list
(16351) 1971 US 26 October 1971 list
(20960) 1971 UR 26 October 1971 list
(24600) 1971 UQ 26 October 1971 list
24601 Valjean 26 October 1971 list
(29076) 1972 TR8 4 October 1972 list
(37527) 1971 UJ1 26 October 1971 list
(58094) 1972 AP 14 January 1972 list
(85118) 1971 UU 26 October 1971 list
Co-discovery made with:
A A. Kriete

References

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  1. ^ "Minor Planet Discoverers (by number)". Minor Planet Center. 4 September 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  2. ^ a b Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(1850) Kohoutek". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (1850) Kohoutek. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 148. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_1851. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  3. ^ a b O'Meara, Stephen James (2007). Hidden treasures. New York: Cambridge University Press. p. 420. ISBN 978-0-521-83704-0.
  4. ^ Kohoutek, L. (January 1972). "Hamburg Schmidt-camera survey of faint planetary nebulae. Cygnus-Perseus region". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 16: 291–300. Bibcode:1972A&A....16..291K. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  5. ^ Mitton, Simon (15 November 1973). "Prospects for Comet Kohoutek". New Scientist. p. 464.
  6. ^ "Zemřel astronom Luboš Kohoutek. Objeviteli slavné komety bylo 88 let". Seznam Zprávy. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
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