Minor planets discovered: 31 [1]
(6027) 1993 SS2 23 September 1993 MPC
(6874) 1994 JO1 9 May 1994 MPC
(8201) 1994 AH2 5 January 1994 MPC
(10150) 1994 PN 7 August 1994 MPC
(10180) 1996 EE2 15 March 1996 MPC
(10578) 1995 LH 5 June 1995 MPC
(10824) 1993 SW3 24 September 1993 MPC
(14916) 1993 VV7 10 November 1993 MPC
(14921) 1994 QA 16 August 1994 MPC
(23621) 1996 PA 5 August 1996 MPC
(24814) 1994 VW1 10 November 1994 MPC
(26895) 1995 MC 23 June 1995 MPC
(30956) 1994 QP 27 August 1994 MPC
(37651) 1994 GX 3 April 1994 MPC
(55820) 1995 FW 25 March 1995 MPC
(55843) 1996 PD1 9 August 1996 MPC
61342 Lovejoy 3 August 2000 MPC
(65757) 1994 FV 21 March 1994 MPC
(69350) 1993 YP 17 December 1993 MPC
(69357) 1994 FU 21 March 1994 MPC
(96298) 1996 RE26 9 September 1996 MPC
(100210) 1994 LD1 15 June 1994 MPC
(100211) 1994 PF1 7 August 1994 MPC
(100244) 1994 QB 16 August 1994 MPC
(102530) 1999 UF4 30 October 1999 MPC
(123302) 2000 UW112 19 October 2000 MPC
(162037) 1996 BW3 26 January 1996 MPC
(178680) 2000 RB9 2 September 2000 MPC
(228215) 1996 DD2 26 February 1996 MPC
(412983) 1996 FO3 24 March 1996 MPC

Gordon John Garradd (born 1959) is an Australian amateur astronomer and photographer from Loomberah, New South Wales. He has discovered numerous asteroids and comets, including the hyperbolic comet C/2009 P1,[2] and four novae in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The asteroid and Mars-crosser, 5066 Garradd, was named in his honour.[3][4]

Comet Garradd
Comet C/2009 P1 (Garradd)[2]

He has worked for a number of astronomical institutions in the US and Australia, most recently at Siding Spring Observatory on the Siding Spring Survey, part of the NASA-funded Catalina Sky Survey for near-Earth objects (2002–2011). As of 2016, the Minor Planet Center credits him with the discovery of 31 minor planets (see table).[1] There are 16 comets and an asteroid that bear his name.[5] His cometary discoveries include 186P/Garradd (comet Garradd 1), a Jupiter-family comet,[6] and 259P/Garradd (comet Garradd 4), an Encke-type comet.[7]

Garradd was born in Australia and lived his early life in Sydney, Canberra, Oberon, and Tamworth. Astronomy has been an interest since his childhood, and he has built many telescopes himself, starting with a 20 cm (8") f/7 Newtonian while still in high school, graduating to making mirrors up to 46 cm (18″) diameter and mounts up to the fork mount for the 46 cm f/5.4 Newtonian, and German equatorial mounted 25 cm (10") f/4.1 that he used for observing near-Earth asteroids and comets.[8]

His initial profession was as an accountant, but he left that in 1984 to pursue astronomy and photography full-time.[9] He lives with his wife Hether, off the power grid, using solar and wind power. He is a photographer, mountain bike rider, and solar- and wind-power enthusiast.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b "Minor Planet Discoverers (by number)". Minor Planet Center. 23 May 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
  2. ^ a b In the Sky This Month – July 2009 transientsky.wordpress.com, July 2009.
  3. ^ Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(5066) Garradd". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (5066) Garradd. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 436. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_4929. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
  4. ^ Liller, William (1992). The Cambridge guide to astronomical discovery. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 119. ISBN 9780521418393. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  5. ^ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  6. ^ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 186P/Garradd". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
  7. ^ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 259P/Garradd". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
  8. ^ a b Bauman, Joe (23 August 2011). "Meet Comet Discoverer Gordon Garradd". Nightly News: Astronomy. Deseret News. Retrieved 21 February 2015. Archived 21 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ Haynes, Raymond, ed. (2000). Explorers of the southern sky: a history of Australian astronomy. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. p. 129. ISBN 9780521365758.

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