Erwin Obermair

Erwin Obermair (29 August 1946 in Hargelsberg – 15 January 2017 in Linz[2]) was an Austrian amateur astronomer and co-discoverer of asteroids.

Minor planets discovered: 7 [1]
14057 Manfredstoll15 January 1996[1] MPC
15949 Rhaeticus17 January 1998[1] MPC
43955 Fixlmüller6 February 1997[1] MPC
48681 Zeilinger21 January 1996[1] MPC
58499 Stüber3 November 1996[1] MPC
85411 Paulflora3 November 1996[1] MPC
100485 Russelldavies3 November 1996[1] MPC

Together with his colleague and amateur astronomer Erich Meyer, Obermair built the private observatory Meyer/Obermair (540) in Davidschlag (municipality Kirchschlag bei Linz, Austria), in 1978.[2] He co-discovered a total of 7 asteroids at this observatory, all together with Meyer.[1] Furthermore, he was involved in three other discoveries of asteroids between 1996 and 2005, which were assigned as site discoveries to the observatory Davidschlag by the International Astronomical Union.[3]

Obermair was a member of the Astronomical Society of Linz (Linzer Astronomische Gemeinschaft), from 1974 until his death he was vice president of that association.[2] His most important observations include precisie astrometry of the comet Shoemaker–Levy 9, which he observerd together with Erich Meyer and Herbert Raab in 1993. These observations have significantly contributed to the subsequent prediction of the impact of this comet on the planet Jupiter.[4]

On 4 April 1997, Obermair was presented the Decoration of Honour in Silver of the Republic of Austria.[5] The main-belt asteroid 9236 Obermair, discovered by his college Erich Meyer at Linz in 1997, was named in his honor.[6] Naming citation was published on 4 May 1999 (M.P.C. 34629).[7]

References
  1. "Minor Planet Discoverers (by number)". Minor Planet Center. 23 May 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  2. Erwin Obermair, ein Nachruf in WEGA, Vol. 47, 01/2017 (German). Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  3. Minor Planet Discoveries - Webseite of the Davidschlag Observatory Archived 10 January 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  4. IAUC 5800: Periodic Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 (1993e). Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  5. Recipients of Medals of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria (German). Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  6. Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(9236) Obermair". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (9236) Obermair. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 684. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_7422. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  7. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
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