Alexandre Schaumasse (1882–1958) was a Frenchastronomer and discoverer ofcomets andminor planets.[1]
His discoveries include the periodic comet24P/Schaumasse, and the two non-periodic cometsC/1913 J1 (Schaumasse) or 1913 II, andC/1917 H1 (Schaumasse) or 1917 II. He also discovered twoasteroids,971 Alsatia and1114 Lorraine, in 1921 and 1928, respectively.[2]
Gaston Fayet, director of the Observatory inNice, gave him the responsibility of theChercheur de comètes (Comet finder), a 25 cm (F/D 7.2) refractor offered by Germany to France after the first World War. However, it appears he never made any serious observations with this instrument due to its "abundance of aberrations", according to fellow astronomerRobert Jonckhèere. The two instruments he used most were the Grand Equatorial Coudé (with which he recorded most of his observations), and the Petit Equatorial (current dome Charlois).
He was severely wounded in 1914 while serving in the French army duringWorld War I, and spent at least a year in hospital.
He was awarded theValz Prize(Prix Valz) for 1917 by theFrench Academy of Sciences.[3] In 1943, he was awarded theLalande Prize.[4]
The building that housesChercheur de comètes, built in 1931, now bears his name (Schaumasse dome). The inner main-belt asteroid1797 Schaumasse was named in his honor (M.P.C. 4358).[1]
| 971 Alsatia | November 23, 1921 | MPC |
| 1114 Lorraine | November 17, 1928 | MPC |
| International | |
|---|---|
| Other | |
