Piera Observatory ( ca, Observatori Astronòmic de Piera) is an

astronomical Astronomy () is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and evolution. Objects of interest include planets, moons, stars, nebulae, galaxies, ...

observatory An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysical, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. H ...

located in

Piera Piera is a municipality that covers a large portion of the southeastern corner of the comarca of Anoia in Catalonia, Spain, on the left bank of the Anoia river. The agricultural land, mostly non-irrigated, is used for the cultivation of cereals ...

Catalonia Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a '' nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy. Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the no ...

, with the IAU

observatory code This is a list of observatory codes (IAU codes or MPC codes) published by 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 ...

165. It takes part in the Unicorn Project with the

Ametlla de Mar Observatory Ametlla de Mar Observatory is an astronomical observatory situated in L'Ametlla de Mar in the autonomous Catalonia region of Spain. It has received the IAU observatory code 946 and is operated by Catalan astronomer Jaume Nomen. The observatory pa ...

and

Costitx Observatory Costitx is a small municipality on Majorca, one of the Balearic Islands, Spain. The Observatorio Astronómico de Mallorca The Astronomical Observatory of Mallorca ( es, Observatorio Astronómico de Mallorca, OAM) is an observatory just south ...

. One of its first discoveries was the

asteroid An asteroid is a minor planet of the Solar System#Inner solar system, inner Solar System. Sizes and shapes of asteroids vary significantly, ranging from 1-meter rocks to a dwarf planet almost 1000 km in diameter; they are rocky, metallic o ...

(by

Joan Guarro Joan may refer to: People and fictional characters *Joan (given name), including a list of women, men and fictional characters *:Joan of Arc, a French military heroine *Joan (surname) Weather events *Tropical Storm Joan (disambiguation), multiple ...

), now 13868 Catalonia.

Josep Comas Solá Josep is a Catalan masculine given name equivalent to Joseph (Spanish ''José''). People named Josep include: * Josep Bargalló (born 1958), Catalan philologist and former politician * Josep Bartolí (1910-1995), Catalan painter, cartoonist a ...

's discovery, nearly 70 years earlier, of 1930 SB was initially supposed to be named ''Catalonia'', but political pressure from the Francoist regime then in power made this impossible. Solá finally named it

1188 Gothlandia 1188 Gothlandia, provisional designation , is a stony Florian asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, approximately 12 kilometers in diameter. Discovered by astronomer Josep Comas i Solà at the Fabra Observatory in 1930, the aste ...

instead, from the ancient Frankish name for Catalonia, ''Gothland'' or ''Gotia''.

References

External links

Piera Observatory
Astronomical observatories in Catalonia {{observatory-stub