Nationality German Fields Astronomy | Role Astronomer Name Carl Witt | |
Born October 29, 1866
Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia ( 1866-10-29 ) Institutions Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universitat, Urania Sternwarte Berlin Known for discovery of 433 Eros and 422 Berolina Notable awards Iron Cross 2nd Class,
2732 Witt is named after him Died January 3, 1946, Falkensee, Germany Alma mater Humboldt University of Berlin Institution Humboldt University of Berlin | ||
Doctoral advisor Julius Bauschinger Discovered 422 Berolina, 433 Eros |
Giant Asteroid 433 Eros Flyby Earth 31 Jan 2012
Carl Gustav Witt (October 29, 1866 – January 3, 1946) was a German astronomer and discover of two asteroids who worked at the Berlin Urania Observatory, a popular observatory of the Urania astronomical association of Berlin.
He wrote a doctoral thesis under the direction of Julius Bauschinger.
Witt discovered two asteroids, most notably 433 Eros, the first asteroid with a male name, and the first known near-Earth object. His first minor planet discovery was the main-belt asteroid 422 Berolina, that bears the Latin name of his adoptive city.
The minor planet 2732 Witt – an A-type asteroid from the main-belt, discovered by Max Wolf at Heidelberg Observatory in 1926 – was named in his memory by American astronomer and MPC's longtime director, Brian G. Marsden. Naming citation was published on 22 September 1983 (M.P.C. 8153).