Loren C. Ball (born 1948) is an American amateur

astronomer An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. Astronomers observe astronomical objects, such as stars, planets, natural satellite, moons, comets and galaxy, galax ...

, who has discovered more than 100

asteroids An asteroid is a minor planet—an object larger than a meteoroid that is neither a planet nor an identified comet—that orbits within the Solar System#Inner Solar System, inner Solar System or is co-orbital with Jupiter (Trojan asteroids). As ...

while working at his Emerald Lane Observatory (

843 __NOTOC__ Year 843 ( DCCCXLIII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe *May 24 – Battle of Blain: Breton forces under Erispoe, count of Vannes, defeat the Franks led by Renaud d'He ...

), built on the roof of his house on Emerald Lane, Decatur, Alabama. As of 2024, he has credit for 111 numbered designations with the

Minor Planet Center The Minor Planet Center (MPC) is the official body for observing and reporting on minor planets under the auspices of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Founded in 1947, it operates at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Funct ...

at Harvard for the period between 2000 and 2004. None of them were co-discoveries. He is under contract with

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...

through the

University of Alabama in Huntsville The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) is a public research university in Huntsville, Alabama, United States. The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and comprises eight colleges: arts, humanities ...

to do outreach to school groups and organisations. , he promotes asteroid education in schools and on social media. The main-belt asteroid 16095 Lorenball, discovered by astronomers with the

Catalina Sky Survey Catalina Sky Survey (CSS; obs. code: 703) is an astronomical survey to discover comets and asteroids. It is conducted at the Steward Observatory's Catalina Station, located near Tucson, Arizona, in the United States. CSS focuses on the searc ...

in 1999, is named after him. The official was published by the

on 8 November 2019 ().

List of discovered minor planets

References

External links

Barnard-Seyfert Astronomical Society page on L. C. Ball
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ball, Loren C. 1948 births Living people 20th-century American astronomers 21st-century American astronomers Discoverers of asteroids * Amateur astronomers

List of discovered minor planets

See also

References

External links