Matthew J. Holman

Matthew Holman
Born1967
United States
Alma materMassachusetts Institute of Technology
Known forPlanetary science
AwardsNewcomb Cleveland Prize in 1998
Scientific career
FieldsAstrophysics
InstitutionsCenter for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian

Matthew J. Holman (born 1967) is a Smithsonian astrophysicist and lecturer at Harvard University. Holman studied at MIT, where he received his bachelor's degree in mathematics in 1989 and his PhD in planetary science in 1994. He was awarded the Newcomb Cleveland Prize in 1998.[1]

From 25 January 2015 to 9 February 2021, he held the position of an interim director of IAU's Minor Planet Center (MPC), after former director Timothy B. Spahr had stepped down. Holman was followed by Matthew Payne as new director of the MPC.[2][3]

He was a Salina Central High School (Kansas) classmate and fellow debate team member of Joe Miller, Alaskan Senate candidate. The main-belt asteroid 3666 Holman was named in his honour in 1999 (M.P.C. 34619).[1][4]

Discoveries

See also: Category:Discoveries by Matthew J. Holman
Minor planets discovered: 11 [5]
(44594) 1999 OX3 21 July 1999 list [A][B][C]
(45802) 2000 PV29 5 August 2000 list
(54520) 2000 PJ30 5 August 2000 list
(60620) 2000 FD8 27 March 2000 list [A][B][C]
(60621) 2000 FE8 27 March 2000 list [A][B][C]
(76803) 2000 PK30 5 August 2000 list
(182222) 2000 YU1 16 December 2000 list [B][D]
(182223) 2000 YC2 17 December 2000 list [B][D]
(468422) 2000 FA8 27 March 2000 list [A][B][C]
(469333) 2000 PE30 5 August 2000 list
(506439) 2000 YB2 16 December 2000 list [B][D]
Co-discovery made with:
A J. J. Kavelaars · B B. Gladman · C J.-M. Petit · D T. Grav

For the period between 1999 and 2000, Holman is credited by the MPC with the discovery and co-discovery of several trans-Neptunian objects such as (44594) 1999 OX3 and (60621) 2000 FE8 (see table) and has been an active observer of centaurs.[1][5]

He was also part of a team that discovered numerous irregular moons:[6]

  • Discovered moons of Neptune (full list):
    • Halimede (Neptune IX) – in 2002 with J.J. Kavelaars, T. Grav, W. Fraser and D. Milisavljevic (IAUC 8047)
    • Sao (Neptune XI) – in 2002 with J.J. Kavelaars, T. Grav, W. Fraser, D. Milisavljevic (IAUC 8047)
    • Laomedeia (Neptune XII) – in 2002, with J.J. Kavelaars, T. Grav, W. Fraser, D. Milisavljevic (IAUC 8047)
    • Neso (Neptune XIII) – in 2002, with B. Gladman et al. (IAUC 8213)
  • Discovered moons of Uranus (full list):
    • Prospero (Uranus XVIII) – in 1999, with J.J. Kavelaars, B. Gladman, J.-M. Petit, H. Scholl (IAUC 7248)
    • Setebos (Uranus XIX) – in 1999, with J.J. Kavelaars, B. Gladman, J.-M. Petit, H. Scholl (IAUC 7230)
    • Stephano (Uranus XX) – in 1999, with B. Gladman, J.J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, H. Scholl (IAUC 7230)
    • Trinculo (Uranus XXI) – in 2001, with J.J. Kavelaars, D. Milisavljevic (IAUC 7980)
    • Francisco (Uranus XXII) – in 2001, with J.J. Kavelaars, D. Milisavljevic, T. Grav (IAUC 8216, IAUC 7980)
    • Ferdinand (Uranus XXIV) – in 2001, with D. Milisavljevic, J.J. Kavelaars, T. Grav (IAUC 8213)
  • Discovered moons of Saturn (full list):

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(3666) Holman". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (3666) Holman. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 308. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_3664. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  2. ^ "About the MPC – Staff". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  3. ^ "MPEC 2021-D60". Minor Planet Electronic Circular. Minor Planet Center. 19 February 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  4. ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  5. ^ a b "Minor Planet Discoverers (by number)". Minor Planet Center. 20 August 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  6. ^ "JPL Solar System Dynamics: Planetary Satellite Discovery Circumstances". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 28 October 2016.