+ Minor planets discovered: 197 see

Maura Tombelli (born 1952 in Montelupo Fiorentino) is an Italian amateur astronomer who began her training in astronomy as an observer of variable stars. She is a prolific discoverer of almost 200 minor planets, including the main-belt asteroid 7794 Sanvito, and a member of the American Association of Variable Star Observers.

Career She is known as the only Italian female astrometrist. Together with Italian astronomers Ulisse Munari and Giuseppe Forti, she initiated a five-year survey of minor planets at Asiago Astrophysical Observatory in 1994. She also shared a lot of observations with the discoverers, especially the follow-up of near-Earth objects (NEOs), and she contributed to the discovery of 15817 Lucianotesi, the first NEO found from Italy. She is currently involved in a project to build a new observatory (Osservatorio di Montelupo) near the town of Montelupo, where she lives.

Awards and honours The main-belt asteroid 9904 Mauratombelli, discovered by Italian astronomers Andrea Boattini and Luciano Tesi in 1997, is named in her honour.

List of discovered minor planets

6876 Beppeforti 5 September 1994 7141 Bettarini 12 March 1994 7196 Baroni 16 January 1994 7197 Pieroangela 16 January 1994 7198 Montelupo 16 January 1994 7481 San Marcello 11 August 1994 7599 Munari 3 August 1994 7679 Asiago 15 February 1996 7715 Leonidarosino 14 February 1996 7794 Sanvito 15 January 1996 7847 Mattiaorsi 14 February 1996 7900 Portule 14 February 1996 7957 Antonella 17 January 1994 8885 Sette 13 March 1994 8925 Boattini 4 December 1996 8944 Ortigara 30 January 1997 9425 Marconcini 14 February 1996 9426 Aliante 14 February 1996 9427 Righini 14 February 1996 9897 Malerba 14 February 1996 10149 Cavagna 3 August 1994 10176 Gaiavettori 14 February 1996 10198 Pinelli 6 December 1996 10591 Caverni 13 August 1996 10928 Caprara 25 January 1998 11337 Sandro 10 August 1996 11348 Allegra 30 January 1997 11621 Duccio 15 August 1996 12033 Anselmo 31 January 1997 12044 Fabbri 29 March 1997 12433 Barbieri 15 January 1996 12470 Pinotti 31 January 1997 12811 Rigonistern 14 February 1996 12812 Cioni 14 February 1996 12813 Paolapaolini 14 February 1996 12814 Vittorio 13 February 1996 12927 Pinocchio 30 September 1999 13147 Foglia 24 February 1995 13174 Timossi 14 February 1996 13638 Fiorenza 14 February 1996 13740 Lastrucci 18 September 1998 14061 Nagincox 13 February 1996 14062 Cremaschini 14 February 1996 14568 Zanotta 19 July 1998 14659 Gregoriana 15 January 1999 14919 Robertohaver 6 August 1994 14947 Luigibussolino 15 January 1996 14953 Bevilacqua 13 February 1996 15004 Vallerani 7 December 1997 15005 Guerriero 7 December 1997 15006 Samcristoforetti 27 February 1998 15034 Décines 16 November 1998 15360 Moncalvo 14 February 1996 15375 Laetitiafoglia 30 January 1997 15418 Sergiospinelli 27 February 1998 15817 Lucianotesi 28 August 1994 15837 Mariovalori 25 February 1995 15853 Benedettafoglia 16 January 1996 15855 Mariasalvatore 14 February 1996 15968 Waltercugno 27 February 1998 30 December 1999 16154 Dabramo 1 January 2000 16672 Bedini 17 January 1994 16879 Campai 24 January 1998 17019 Aldo 23 February 1999 17077 Pampaloni 25 April 1999 17720 Manuboccuni 7 December 1997 18431 Stazzema 16 January 1994 18441 Cittadivinci 5 August 1994 18583 Francescopedani 7 December 1997 18627 Rogerbonnet 27 February 1998 18628 Taniasagrati 27 February 1998 18631 Maurogherardini 27 February 1998 19331 Stefanovitale 4 December 1996 20081 Occhialini 12 March 1994 20194 Ilarialocantore 30 January 1997 20195 Mariovinci 30 January 1997 20200 Donbacky 28 February 1997 21256 Robertobattiston 14 February 1996 22401 Egisto 24 February 1995 22517 Alexzanardi 26 February 1998 22752 Sabrinamasiero 15 November 1998 23608 Alpiapuane 15 January 1996 24856 Messidoro 15 January 1996 24857 Sperello 15 January 1996 24890 Amaliafinzi 4 December 1996 25301 Ambrofogar 7 December 1998 25601 Francopacini 1 January 2000 4 February 2000 27005 Dariaguidetti 27 February 1998 27130 Dipaola 8 December 1998 27269 Albinocarbognani 3 January 2000 27923 Dimitribartolini 4 December 1996 27983 Bernardi 26 October 1997 28007 Galhassin 7 December 1997 29346 Mariadina 25 February 1995 29363 Ghigabartolini 14 February 1996 29547 Yurimazzanti 25 January 1998 29549 Sandrasbaragli 25 January 1998 25 January 1998 29761 Lorenzo 13 February 1999 30585 Firenze 14 August 2001 31091 Bettiventicinque 30 January 1997 31153 Enricaparri 26 October 1997 31605 Braschi 10 April 1999 33031 Paolofini 1 September 1997 33054 Eduardorossi 26 October 1997 33162 Sofiarandich 27 February 1998 33480 Bartolucci 4 April 1999 33823 Mariorigutti 3 February 2000 34004 Gregorini 30 July 2000 34696 Risoldi 21 July 2001 35222 Delbarrio 4 December 1994 35358 Lorifini 27 September 1997 35444 Giuliamarconcini 25 January 1998 35464 Elisaconsigli 27 February 1998 35465 Emilianoricci 27 February 1998 35703 Lafiascaia 20 March 1999 37313 Paolocampaner 16 August 2001 37835 Darioconsigli 25 January 1998 37836 Simoneterreni 25 January 1998 39871 Lucagrazzini 27 February 1998 39875 Matteolombardo 27 February 1998 43881 Cerreto 25 February 1995 43923 Cosimonoccioli 14 February 1996 44574 Lavoratti 4 April 1999 2 October 1999 46701 Interrante 7 February 1997 46702 Linapucci 28 February 1997 47473 Lorenzopinna 1 January 2000 48842 Alexmazzanti 25 January 1998 4 February 2000 3 March 2000 15 August 2001 5 August 1994 12 December 1998 54852 Mercatali 22 July 2001 54983 Simone 16 August 2001 55418 Bianciardi 13 October 2001 26 December 1998 4 February 2000 22 July 2001 58572 Romanella 7 September 1997 58702 Tizianabitossi 25 January 1998 63463 Calamandrei 20 July 2001 65848 Enricomari 30 January 1997 20 July 1998 4 April 1999 69585 Albertoraugei 27 February 1998 70444 Genovali 9 October 1999 31 December 1999 71489 Dynamocamp 4 February 2000 27 April 2001 4 February 2000 15 November 1998 82638 Bottariclaudio 7 August 2001 84120 Antonacci 4 September 2002 85368 Elisabettacioni 14 February 1996 85515 Annakukharskaya 26 October 1997 12 December 1998 1 January 2000 14 August 2001 4 January 2002 20 July 1998 5 November 1999 21 November 2001 4 January 2002 99389 Marconovi 5 January 2002 100726 Marcoiozzi 25 January 1998 7 December 1998 2 January 2000 21 July 2001 15 August 2001 15 August 2001 111571 Bebevio 11 January 2002 113683 Robertoornella 2 October 2002 113684 Giannagianni 2 October 2002 118233 Gfrancoferrini 30 January 1997 120098 Telmopievani 10 March 2003 19 January 1999 126161 Piazzano 4 January 2002 127415 Annacalderara 11 July 2002 135041 Lorenzofranco 21 July 2001 136848 Kevanpooler 25 January 1998 22 April 2001 20 July 2001 30 December 1999 13 February 2000 16 August 2001 16 August 2001 21 July 2001 15 August 2001 12 September 2001 8 October 1999 14 August 2001 11 October 2001 13 August 2001 4 January 2002 7 February 2002 280244 Ati 27 November 2002 297314 Ilterracottaio 7 December 1998 2 August 2000 317000 Simonepastore 13 August 2001 13 August 2001 5 August 2002 6 August 2002 120097 Janniksinner 10 March 2003 Co-discovery made with: A. Boattini U. Munari V. Goretti G. Forti L. Tesi E. Masotti C. Casacci S. Bartolini D. Guidetti F. Bernardi

References

External links https://web.archive.org/web/20100910014553/http://www.meteoritedoro.it/albo_doro_tombelli.htm http://www.nove.firenze.it/vediarticolo.asp?id=97.05.21.00.14