Roy A. Tucker
Encyclopedia
Roy A. Tucker is an American
astronomer
. He is a prolific discoverer of asteroid
s, identifying at least 404 and co-discovering one, between 1996 and 2009.
Tucker was raised in Memphis, Tennessee
. In 1966, he became a member of Memphis Astronomical Society and received a Master's degree in Scientific Instrumentation from the University of California, Santa Barbara
. He works as a senior engineer in the Imaging Technology Laboratory of the University of Arizona
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
. He is a prolific discoverer of asteroid
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
s, identifying at least 404 and co-discovering one, between 1996 and 2009.
Tucker was raised in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. In 1966, he became a member of Memphis Astronomical Society and received a Master's degree in Scientific Instrumentation from the University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
. He works as a senior engineer in the Imaging Technology Laboratory of the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
.
Awards and discoveries
- 2002, one of five researchers awarded a "Gene Shoemaker Near Earth Object Grant", by the Planetary SocietyPlanetary SocietyThe Planetary Society is a large, publicly supported, non-government and non-profit organization that has many research projects related to astronomy...
. - One of the three co-discoverers of asteroid 99942 Apophis99942 Apophis99942 Apophis is a near-Earth asteroid that caused a brief period of concern in December 2004 because initial observations indicated a small probability that it would strike the Earth in 2029. Additional observations provided improved predictions that eliminated the possibility of an impact on...
(formerly better known by its provisional designation 2004 MN4) along with David J. TholenDavid J. TholenDavid James Tholen is an American astronomer at the Institute for Astronomy of the University of Hawaii, who specializes in planetary and solar system astronomy.-Professional life:...
and Fabrizio BernardiFabrizio BernardiFabrizio Bernardi is an astronomer.-Contributions:In October of 2001 he discovered an asteroid, proceeded by near earth objects : 2002 RQ25 3 , 2002 WP11 and the NEO 2003 FB5 Fabrizio Bernardi is an astronomer.-Contributions:In October of 2001 he discovered an asteroid, proceeded by near earth...
of the University of HawaiiUniversity of HawaiiThe University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
. This asteroid will closely approach the earth on 13 April 2029 and be as bright as a third magnitude star.