June 11
With the naming of a minor planet after Professor Nobuyuki
Yamaguchi, formerly a professor of Kochi University, all of the eight staff
members of Geisei Observatory now have had minor planets named after their
names. I believe this is rather unusual in Japan.
Seki (3426) Tsutomu Seki
Okamura (4505) Keiichiro Okamura
Muraoka (5124) Kenji Muraoka
Kawazoe (7410) Akira Kawazoe
Shimomoto (18365) Shigeo Shimomoto
Nobuyuki (27716) Nobuyuki Yamaguchi
Kimihiro (27739) Kimihiro Matsugi
Obatomoyuki (27740) Tomoyuki Oba
The numbers in parentheses are confirmed minor planet numbers
in the ascending order. All the minor planets except Seki were discovered
at Geisei.
When a CCD imaging system is introduced at Geisei, we will
be able to observe these minor planets and see them on the computer monitor
at any time. The names of these eight staff members will shine in space
eternally and Geisei Observatory will forever be active.
