+ Minor planets discovered: 52 see
The Starkenburg Observatory () is an astronomical observatory in Heppenheim, Germany. It was founded in 1970, and currently has about 150 members.
The observatory was the venue for the 1997 and 2003 meetings of the European Radio Astronomy Congress. The amateur astronomers at the observatory have discovered more than 40 asteroids and participate in the tracking of near earth asteroids.
The instruments at the observatory consists of: 0.45-meter newtonian 0.356-meter Schmidt–Cassegrain telescope 0.30-meter newtonian 0.20-meter refractor 0.15-meter refractor 0.10-meter refractor 0.19-meter flat-field camera 0.14-meter Schmidt camera
The two main-belt asteroids 6864 Starkenburg and 14080 Heppenheim were named in honor of the medieval castle, the adjunct observatory and the nearby town Heppenheim, respectively.
List of discovered minor planets
As of 2016, IAU's Minor Planet Center (MPC) credits the discovery of 52 numbered minor planets directly to the observatory (group discovery) including 47 discoveries to "Starkenburg" (1997–2009), and 5 discoveries to "Heppenheim" (1997–2002), for which no apparent distinction can be made.
12053 Turtlestar 9 August 1997 12057 Alfredsturm 18 February 1998 14080 Heppenheim 1 April 1997 15397 Ksoari 27 October 1997 16809 Galápagos 21 October 1997 16969 Helamuda 29 October 1998 17855 Geffert 19 May 1998 18567 Segenthau 27 September 1997 18610 Arthurdent 7 February 1998 18653 Christagünt 28 March 1998 2 April 2000 21663 Banat 3 September 1999 24168 Hexlein 29 November 1999 27984 Herminefranz 1 November 1997 31984 Unger 25 April 2000 33863 Elfriederwin 5 May 2000 35357 Haraldlesch 28 September 1997 38270 Wettzell 11 September 1999 24 August 2000 40764 Gerhardiser 13 October 1999 27 October 1999 29 December 1998 56561 Jaimenomen 5 May 2000 58896 Schlosser 15 May 1998 60006 Holgermandel 13 October 1999 3 November 1999 10 September 1999 13 September 2002 23 December 2000 10 November 2001 8 December 2001 24 August 2000 121232 Zerin 11 September 1999 27 October 1999 14 October 1999 3 November 1999 17 October 1999 21 December 2000 8 September 1999 216624 Kaufer 9 December 2002 10 November 2001 19 March 2009 19 April 2009 3 November 1999 22 December 2000 342431 Hilo 25 October 2008 17 February 2009 14 February 2009 17 February 2009 14 February 2009 14 February 2009 20 March 2009 The MPC credits discovery to: Starkenburg Heppenheim
For the table below, the mentioned astronomers may or may not be credited directly with the discovery by the MPC. Instead, the discovery site/observatory, "Starkenburg" or "Heppenheim", may be the sole credited discoverer, as for 18610 Arthurdent (discovered at Heppenheim by Starkenburg).
Asteroids discovered: 52 (47+5) 12053 Turtlestar October 8, 1997 M. Busch, W. Ernst, K. Sonneberg, L. Kurtze 12057 Alfredsturm February 18, 1998 P. Geffert, J. Rothermel, E. Schwab, R. Stoss 14080 Heppenheim April 1, 1997 W. Ernst, K. Sonneberg, R. Stoss 15397 Ksoari October 27, 1997 M. Busch, W. Ernst, K. Sonneberg, L. Kurtze 16809 Galápagos October 21, 1997 M. Busch, L. Kurtze 16969 Helamuda October 29, 1998 M. Busch, P. Geffert, R. Stoss 17855 Geffert May 19, 1998 A. Busch, M. Busch, E. Schwab 18567 Segenthau September 27, 1997 R. Stoss 18610 Arthurdent February 7, 1998 F. Hormuth 18653 Christagünt March 28, 1998 F. Hormuth, J. Rothermel, R. Stoss 21663 Banat September 3, 1999 M. Busch, R. Stoss 24168 Hexlein November 29, 1999 M. Busch, R. Stoss, R. Kresken 27984 Herminefranz November 1, 1997 R. Stoss 33863 Elfriederwin May 5, 2000 E. Schwab, R. Stoss 56561 Jaimenomen May 5, 2000 R. Stoss, E. Schwab
See also List of astronomical observatories Sankt Andreasberg Observatory Sonneberg Observatory Stuttgart Observatory
References
External links Starkenburg-Sternwarte e.V.