Minor Planet Names

Private Observatory Meyer/Obermair, Austria
(IAU Observatory Code: 540 Linz)

This page lists the citations for the named minor planets that were discovered at the private observatory Meyer/Obermair near Linz, Austria (IAU Observatory Code 540 Linz). Follow this link for information how minor planets are named.

(9097) Davidschlag
1996 AU1. Discovered 1996 January 14 at the Davidschlag Observatory, Linz.
Named for a small rural village, some 10 km to the north of Linz, at the entrance to a region known as "Sterngartl", or "small garden of stars". This object is the first minor planet discovered at the amateur astronomical observatory that is located in this village.

(9236) Obermair
1997 EV32. Discovered 1997 March 12 by E. Meyer at the Davidschlag Observatory, Linz.
Named in honor of the Austrian amateur astronomer Erwin Obermair (b. 1946), who, together with the discoverer, is co-owner of the private observatory in Davidschlag, near Linz. A technician by profession, Obermair is also a well-known astrophotographer and popularizer of astronomy.

(9119) Georgpeuerbach
1998 DT. Discovered 1998 February 18 at the Davidschlag Observatory, Linz.
Named in memory of Georg Aunpekh von Peuerbach (1423-1461), professor at the University of Vienna, astronomer at the court of emperor Friedrich III, mathematician, poet, early humanist and teacher of Regiomontanus. He discovered the magnetic declination, introduced sines into trigonometry and invented the foldable sundial, the first trustworthy pocket timepiece.
Named on the occasion of the unveiling of a memorial tablet on St. Stephan's cathedral in Vienna, where Peuerbach is buried.

(13682) Pressberger
1997 PG3. Discovered 1997 August 10 by E. Meyer and H. Raab at the Davidschlag Observatory, Linz.
Rudolf Pressberger (1942-2001) invented an improved telescope fork mount, named the "Austria Mount". First released in 1986, it features a right-ascension axis built inside the fork, works without ball bearings and uses friction drives. Using this design, Pressberger also built a 1.0-m Ritchey-Chritien telescope himself.

(14057) Manfredstoll
1996 AV1. Discovered 1996 January 15 by E. Meyer and E. Obermairat the Davidschlag Observatory, Linz.
Viennese computer specialist Manfred Stoll (b. 1938) is an expert in the practical application of computers in astronomy. Among other projects, he worked on software for digitizing photographic plates. He also developed a modern telescope drive system and control software, which is now also used at the observatory in Linz.

(14977) Bressler
1997 SE4. Discovered 1997 September 26 by E. Meyer at the Davidschlag Observatory, Linz.
Austrian amateur astronomer Martin Bressler (1912-2009) started his astrometric program on minor planets in 1982. Always eager to learn new techniques, he enthusiastically switched from photographic emulsions to a CCD in 1993.

(15949) Rhaeticus
1998 BQ. Discovered 1998 Jan. 17 by E. Meyer and E. Obermair at the Davidschlag Observatory, Linz.
Rhaeticus (Georg Joachim Lauchen, 1514-1574) was a humanist, physician, mathematician and astronomer at the universities of Vienna, Leipzig and Wittenberg. He summarized and popularized the work of his teacher Copernicus, initiating the first printing of De Revolutionibus.

(15955) Johannesgmunden
1998 BS13. Discovered 1998 Jan. 26 by E. Meyer at the Davidschlag Observatory, Linz.
Johannes von Gmunden (1380/1384-1442), a priest, humanist, mathematician and astronomer at the University of Vienna, brought the mathematical and astronomical knowledge of Arabia to Europe. Known for his precise ephemerides, he also published the first printed calendar in German.

(16802) Rainer
1997 SP3. Discovered 1997 Sep. 25 by E. Meyer at the Davidschlag Observatory, Linz.
Suffering from a serious heart disease since his birth, Rainer Gebetsroither (1976-1998) devoted his life to observations of nature as well as to the history and technology of railways. His parents Karin and Uwe are long-term members of the Linzer Astronomische Gemeinschaft.

(24916) Stelzhamer
1997 EK11. Discovered 1997 Mar. 7 by E. Meyer at the Davidschlag Observatory, Linz.
Franz Stelzhamer (1802 - 1874), great Austrian poet and novelist, studied law, theology and painting, and worked as journalist, teacher and author. His "s'Hoamatgsang" is the anthem of the Austrian province Upper Austria.

(26355) Grueber
1998 YL8. Discovered 1998 Dec. 23 by E. Meyer at the Davidschlag Observatory, Linz.
Johannes Grueber (1623-1680) was a Jesuit priest, missionary, mathematician and astronomer at the Chinese imperial court from 1659 to 1661. He returned to Europe from China by the overland route and published the very first travelogue describing Tibet.

(29427) Oswaldthomas
1997 EJ11. Discovered 1997 Mar. 7 by E. Meyer at the Davidschlag Observatory, Linz.
Oswald Thomas (1882-1963), founder of the Astronomical Bureau in Vienna, and of the Astronomischer Verein, well known for his work on meteors and for popularizing astronomy. He proposed the establishment of the "Sterngarten", now known as the Vienna Open Air Planetarium.

(43955) Fixmüller
1997 CE6. Discovered 1997 Feb. 6 by E. Meyer and E. Obermair at the Davidschlag Observatory, Linz.
Placidus Fixmüller (1721-1791), director of the astronomical observatory of the abbey in Kremsmünster, Upper Austria, worked on the orbit of Uranus and calculated a precise value for the solar parallax from observations collected worldwide during the transit of Venus in 1769.

(48681) Zeilinger
1996 BZ. Discovered 1996 January 21 by E. Meyer and E. Obermair at the Davidschlag Observatory, Linz.
Anton Zeilinger (b. 1945) is a much-honored professor of experimental physics in Innsbruck and Vienna, decorated by the "pour le mérite" sciences and arts. Well known for his contributions to quantum physics, in 1997 he succeeded in the first teleportation of information on quantum level.

(48801) Penninger
1997 UC1. Discovered 1997 October 22 by E. Meyer at the Davidschlag Observatory, Linz.
Josef Penninger (b. 1964), director of the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, has been honored by various university chairs and numerous awards. He was chosen by the magazine Esquire as one of the ten most interesting people of the year 2000.

(58499) Stüber
1996 VY. Discovered 1996 November 03 by E. Meyer and E. Obermair at the Davidschlag Observatory, Linz.
Eberhard Stüber (b. 1927) is director of the natural science museum "Haus der Natur" in Salzburg. Under his direction a space hall was established, so far the only permanent space exhibition in Austria. In 1988, Stüber set up the Salzburg Public Observatory on Voggenberg as an outpost of the museum.

(85411) Paulflora
1996 VA1. Discoverey 1996 November 03 by E. Meyer and E. Obermair at the Davidschlag Observatory, Linz.
Paul Flora (b. 1922), caricaturist, graphic artist and illustator, was born in South Tyrol but has lived in Innsbruck, North Tyrol, since his early years. His first book, Flora's Fauna, was published in 1953. His ironic and sarcastic drawings, sketched in a distinctive, unique style, have gained international recognition.

(96506) Oberösterreich
1998 OR4. Discoverey 1998 July 26 by E. Meyer at the Davidschlag Observatory, Linz.
Oberösterreich is one of the nine federal states of Austria and one of the most important industrial areas of Austria today. Its capital is Linz, where Johannes Kepler lived from 1612 to 1626 and discovered his third law in 1618. Since 1918 the name Oberösterreich has been official.

(100417) Philipglass
1996 EC. Discovered 1996 Mar. 7 by E. Meyer at the Davidschlag Observatory, Linz.
U.S. composer Philip Glass (b. 1937) is known for his "music with repetitive structures". His works include symphonies, concertos for piano, violin, timpani and saxophone quartet and orchestra, as well as scores for movie soundtracks. Among his two dozen operas are Einstein on the Beach and Kepler.

(100485) Russelldavies
1996 VX. Discovered 1996 Nov. 3 by E. Meyer and E. Obermair at the Davidschlag Observatory, Linz.
Dennis Russell Davies (b. 1944), principal conductor of the Bruckner Orchestra Linz from 2002 and musical director of the Basel Symphony Orchestra from 2009, inspired Philip Glass to compose the opera Kepler, which premiered in Linz in 2009, 400 years after the publication of Kepler's Astronomia Nova.

(130078) Taschner
1999 WH2. Discovered 1999 Nov. 26 by E. Meyer at the Davidschlag Observatory, Linz.
Rudolf Taschner (b. 1953), professor of mathematics at the Technical University of Vienna, was named "Scientist of the year 2004" by the Österreichen Wissenschaftsjournalisten. One of Taschner's main interests is the popularization of mathematics, and to this end he founded "math.space" in 2003.

(137632) Ramsauer
1999 WG2. Discovered 1999 Nov. 26 by E. Meyer at the Davidschlag Observatory, Linz.
Alfred Ramsauer (b. 1928) has been a member of the Linzer Astronomische Gemeinschaft since 1952.

(175730) Gramastetten 
1998 DM1 Discovered 1998 Feb. 18 at Linz.by E. Meyer at the Davidschlag Observatory, Linz
Nestled in the beautiful landscape of Muehlviertel (Upper Austria), Gramastetten is a resort for relaxing and for pleasure trips. Gramastetten is the site of an observatory outpost of the Linz public observatory.

(243491) Muehlviertel
2009 UH19. Discovered 2009 Oct. 20 by D. Voglsam at the Davidschlag Observatory, Linz.
Muehlviertel, the northernmost of the four districts (together with Hausruckviertel, Traunviertel and Innviertel) of Upper Austria, has some good dark-sky observing sites, such as Davidschlag.

(257515) Zapperudi
1997 CD6. Discoverey 1997 February 6 by E. Meyer at the Davidschlag Observatory, Linz.
Rudolf Zappe (b. 1928) has been a member of the Linzer Astronomische Gemeinschaft since 1953. He specializes in astronomical optical instruments and invented a special gearbox for transforming the eccentric to the true anomaly, especially for planetarium devices.

(276568) Joestubler 
2003 ST217 Discovery 2003 Sept. 27 by E. Meyer at the Davidschlag Observatory, Linz.
Johannes Stübler (b. 1958), an active amateur astronomer for decades, has been involved in public outreach activities in many national and international astronomical organizations, including the IAU. He has been a member of the Linzer Astronomische Gemeinschaft since 1979.


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