Warren B. Offutt
Encyclopedia
Warren B. Offutt is an American
astronomer
.
He has discovered a number of asteroid
s. The International Astronomical Union
named minor planet
7639 Offutt
after him just before his 70th birthday in 1998.
He has notably collaborated with professional astronomers in observing Kuiper belt
objects (KBOs). In 1999 he won the Amateur Achievement Award of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
.
He operates the W & B Observatory (IAU code 709) in Cloudcroft
, New Mexico
, in the Sacramento Mountains
, at an altitude of 2500 m (8300 ft).
Offutt and his wife, Beverly (since deceased), moved from Illinois
to New Mexico when he retired from engineering, specializing in precision astrometry
of faint solar system objects.
In 1997, Offutt helped with three more major discoveries, among them confirmation of a then-newly discovered moon of Uranus
, Sycorax
.
Offutt is also an amateur radio
operator.
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 has discovered a number 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. The International Astronomical Union
International Astronomical Union
The International Astronomical Union IAU is a collection of professional astronomers, at the Ph.D. level and beyond, active in professional research and education in astronomy...
named minor planet
Minor planet
An asteroid group or minor-planet group is a population of minor planets that have a share broadly similar orbits. Members are generally unrelated to each other, unlike in an asteroid family, which often results from the break-up of a single asteroid...
7639 Offutt
7639 Offutt
7639 Offutt is an outer main-belt asteroid discovered on February 21, 1985 at Oak Ridge Observatory, and named in honor of American astronomer Warren B. Offutt.- External links :*...
after him just before his 70th birthday in 1998.
He has notably collaborated with professional astronomers in observing Kuiper belt
Kuiper belt
The Kuiper belt , sometimes called the Edgeworth–Kuiper belt, is a region of the Solar System beyond the planets extending from the orbit of Neptune to approximately 50 AU from the Sun. It is similar to the asteroid belt, although it is far larger—20 times as wide and 20 to 200 times as massive...
objects (KBOs). In 1999 he won the Amateur Achievement Award of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Astronomical Society of the Pacific
The Astronomical Society of the Pacific is a scientific and educational organization, founded in San Francisco on February 7, 1889. Its name derives from its origins on the Pacific Coast, but today it has members all over the country and the world...
.
He operates the W & B Observatory (IAU code 709) in Cloudcroft
Cloudcroft, New Mexico
Cloudcroft is a village in Otero County, New Mexico and is within the Lincoln National Forest. The population was 749 at the 2000 census. Despite being located in an otherwise arid region, its extremely high elevation allows for a relatively mild summer that makes it a popular tourist attraction...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, in the Sacramento Mountains
Sacramento Mountains
The Sacramento Mountains are a mountain range in the south-central part of the U.S. state of New Mexico, lying just east of Alamogordo in Otero County...
, at an altitude of 2500 m (8300 ft).
Offutt and his wife, Beverly (since deceased), moved from Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
to New Mexico when he retired from engineering, specializing in precision astrometry
Astrometry
Astrometry is the branch of astronomy that involves precise measurements of the positions and movements of stars and other celestial bodies. The information obtained by astrometric measurements provides information on the kinematics and physical origin of our Solar System and our Galaxy, the Milky...
of faint solar system objects.
In 1997, Offutt helped with three more major discoveries, among them confirmation of a then-newly discovered moon of Uranus
Uranus
Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun. It has the third-largest planetary radius and fourth-largest planetary mass in the Solar System. It is named after the ancient Greek deity of the sky Uranus , the father of Cronus and grandfather of Zeus...
, Sycorax
Sycorax (moon)
Sycorax is the largest retrograde irregular satellite of Uranus. Sycorax was discovered on 6 September 1997 by Brett J. Gladman, Philip D. Nicholson, Joseph A. Burns, and John J...
.
Offutt is also an amateur radio
Amateur radio
Amateur radio is the use of designated radio frequency spectrum for purposes of private recreation, non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, and emergency communication...
operator.