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 discovered: 48

72 Feronia 72 Feronia 72 Feronia is a quite large and dark main belt asteroid. It was the first asteroid discovery by C. H. F. Peters, on May 29, 1861 from Hamilton College, New York State. It was initially thought that Peters had merely seen the already known asteroid 66 Maja, but T.H. Safford showed that it was a new...	May 29, 1861
75 Eurydike 75 Eurydike 75 Eurydike is a main-belt asteroid. It has an M-type spectrum and a relatively high albedo and may be rich in nickel-iron. Eurydike was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on September 22, 1862. It was second of his numerous asteroid discoveries. It is named after Eurydice, the wife of...	September 22, 1862
77 Frigga 77 Frigga 77 Frigga is a large, M-type, possibly metallic main-belt asteroid. It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on November 12, 1862. It is named after Frigg, the Norse goddess.-References:...	November 12, 1862
85 Io 85 Io 85 Io is a large, dark main-belt asteroid of the C spectral class. It is probably a primitive body composed of carbonates. Like 70 Panopaea it orbits within the Eunomia asteroid family but it is not related to the shattered parent body....	September 19, 1865
88 Thisbe 88 Thisbe 88 Thisbe is one of the largest main-belt asteroids. It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on June 15, 1866, and named after Thisbe, heroine of a Roman fable. An occultation of a star by Thisbe was observed on October 7, 1981...	June 15, 1866
92 Undina 92 Undina 92 Undina is a large main belt asteroid. It has an unusually high albedo and an M-type spectrum. It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on July 7, 1867. It is named for the eponymous heroine of Undine, a popular novella by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué. Undina is a member of the Veritas asteroid...	July 7, 1867
98 Ianthe 98 Ianthe 98 Ianthe is a large main-belt asteroid. Named for the various Ianthe in Greek mythology. It is very dark and is composed of carbonates. It was one of the numerous discoveries by C. H. F. Peters, who found it on April 18, 1868, from Clinton, New York.-References:...	April 18, 1868
102 Miriam 102 Miriam 102 Miriam is a moderately large, very dark main belt asteroid. It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on August 22, 1868 from the Litchfield Observatory.Peters named the asteroid after Miriam, the sister of Moses in the Old Testament...	August 22, 1868
109 Felicitas 109 Felicitas 109 Felicitas is a dark and fairly large main-belt asteroid. It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on October 9, 1869, and named after Felicitas, the Roman goddess of success. The only observed stellar occultation by Felicitas is one from Japan .-References:...	October 9, 1869
111 Ate 111 Ate 111 Ate is a large, dark, and carbonaceous main-belt asteroid. It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on August 14, 1870, and named after Ate, The goddess of mischief and destruction in Greek mythology. Two stellar occultations by Ate were observed in 2000, only two months apart....	August 14, 1870
112 Iphigenia 112 Iphigenia 112 Iphigenia is a fairly large and exceedingly dark main-belt asteroid. It has probably a primitive carbonaceous composition. It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on September 19, 1870, and named after Iphigenia, the princess sacrificed by her father in Greek mythology....	September 19, 1870
114 Kassandra 114 Kassandra 114 Kassandra is a large and dark main-belt asteroid. It belongs to the rare class T. It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on July 23, 1871, and is named after Cassandra, the prophetess in the tales of the Trojan War. The asteroid is featured in the 2009 film Meteor: Path to Destruction, in which...	July 23, 1871
116 Sirona 116 Sirona 116 Sirona is a somewhat large and bright-colored main-belt asteroid. It has an S-type spectrum. It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on September 8, 1871, and named after Sirona, the Celtic goddess of healing....	September 8, 1871
122 Gerda 122 Gerda 122 Gerda is a fairly large outer main-belt asteroid. It is an S-type. It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on July 31, 1872, and named after Gerðr, the wife of the god Freyr in Norse mythology....	July 31, 1872
123 Brunhild 123 Brunhild 123 Brunhild is a fairly typical stony S-type main-belt asteroid. It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on July 31, 1872, and named after Brünnehilde, a Valkyrie in Norse mythology....	July 31, 1872
124 Alkeste 124 Alkeste 124 Alkeste is a large main-belt asteroid. It is an S-type in composition. C.H.F. Peters discovered the asteroid on August 23, 1872 from the observatory at Hamilton College, New York State...	August 23, 1872
129 Antigone 129 Antigone 129 Antigone is a large main-belt asteroid. Radar observations indicate that it is composed of almost pure nickel-iron. It and other similar asteroids probably originate from the core of a shattered Vesta-like planetesimal which had a differentiated interior. It was discovered by C. H. F...	February 5, 1873
130 Elektra 130 Elektra 130 Elektra is a very large outer main-belt asteroid. It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on February 17, 1873, and named after Electra, an avenger in Greek mythology.Its spectrum is of the G type, hence it probably has a Ceres-like composition...	February 17, 1873
131 Vala 131 Vala 131 Vala is an inner main-belt asteroid. It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on May 24, 1873, and named after Völva, a prophetess in Norse mythology. One observation of an occultation of a star by Vala is from Italy .-References:...	May 24, 1873
135 Hertha 135 Hertha 135 Hertha is a large main-belt asteroid. Named Hertha, another name for Nerthus, a Germanic fertility goddess. It orbits among the Nysa asteroid family but its classification as an M-type asteroid does not match the more common F-type asteroid for this family, suggesting that it may be an interloper...	February 18, 1874
144 Vibilia 144 Vibilia 144 Vibilia is a large, dark main belt asteroid. It probably has a primitive carbonaceous composition. It is the only large member of the Vibilia asteroid family....	June 3, 1875
145 Adeona 145 Adeona 145 Adeona is a rather large main-belt asteroid. Its surface is very dark, and probably composed of primitive carbonaceous material. The Adeona family of asteroids is named after it....	June 3, 1875
160 Una 160 Una 160 Una is a fairly large and dark, primitive Main belt asteroid.It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on February 20, 1876 in Clinton, New York. It is named after a character in Edmund Spenser's epic poem The Faerie Queene ....	February 20, 1876
165 Loreley 165 Loreley 165 Loreley is a very large main-belt asteroid.It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on August 9, 1876, in Clinton, New York and named after the Lorelei, a figure in German folklore....	August 9, 1876
166 Rhodope 166 Rhodope 166 Rhodope is a very dark main belt asteroid, a member of the Adeona family of asteroids.It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on August 15, 1876 in Clinton, New York and named after Rhodope, the queen in Greek mythology who was turned into a mountain....	August 15, 1876
167 Urda 167 Urda 167 Urda is a main-belt, S-type asteroid.It is a member of the Koronis asteroid family.It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on August 28, 1876 in Clinton, New York and named after Urd, one of the Norns in Norse mythology....	August 28, 1876
176 Iduna 176 Iduna 176 Iduna is a large main-belt asteroid. It has a composition similar to that of the largest main-belt asteroid, 1 Ceres.It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on October 14, 1877, in Clinton, New York. It is named after the Ydun, a club in Stockholm that hosted an astronomical conference.An...	October 14, 1877
185 Eunike 185 Eunike 185 Eunike is a dark and very large main-belt asteroid, with an approximate diameter of 157 kilometres. It has a primitive carbonaceous composition....	March 1, 1878
188 Menippe 188 Menippe 188 Menippe is a main belt asteroid. It has a bright surface and rocky composition.It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on June 18, 1878 in Clinton, New York and named after Menippe, one of the daughters of Orion in Greek mythology....	June 18, 1878
189 Phthia 189 Phthia 189 Phthia is a bright-coloured, rocky main belt asteroid.It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on September 9, 1878 in Clinton, New York and named after Phthia, a region of Ancient Greece....	September 9, 1878
190 Ismene 190 Ismene 190 Ismene is a very large main belt asteroid. Being a P-type asteroid, it has a very dark surface and may contain water.Ismene orbits near the outer edge of the asteroid belt. It is one of the Hilda asteroids, which are locked in 3:2 resonance with the planet Jupiter.It was discovered by C. H. F...	September 22, 1878
191 Kolga 191 Kolga 191 Kolga is a large and extremely dark main-belt asteroid.It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on September 30, 1878, in Clinton, New York. It is named after Kolga, the daughter of Ægir in Norse mythology....	September 30, 1878
194 Prokne 194 Prokne 194 Prokne is a very large and dark main-belt asteroid. It has a primitive carbonaceous composition.It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on March 21, 1879 in Clinton, New York, and named after Procne, the sister of Philomela in Greek mythology....	March 21, 1879
196 Philomela 196 Philomela 196 Philomela is a large and bright main-belt asteroid. It is an S-type asteroid. It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on May 14, 1879, in Clinton, New York and named after Philomela, the woman who became a nightingale in Greek mythology....	May 14, 1879
199 Byblis 199 Byblis 199 Byblis is a relatively large main belt asteroid.It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on July 9, 1879 in Clinton, New York and named after Byblis, an incestuous lover in Greek mythology....	July 9, 1879
200 Dynamene 200 Dynamene 200 Dynamene is a large and very dark main-belt asteroid. It probably has a primitive composition similar to the carbonaceous chondrite meteorites....	July 27, 1879
202 Chryseïs 202 Chryseïs 202 Chryseïs is a large, lightly coloured Main belt asteroid. It is probably composed of silicate rocks.It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on September 11, 1879 in Clinton, New York.It was named after the mythical Trojan woman Chryseis.-References:...	September 11, 1879
203 Pompeja 203 Pompeja 203 Pompeja is a quite large main-belt asteroid.It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on September 25, 1879, in Clinton, New York, and named after Pompeii, the Roman town destroyed in volcanic eruption in 79 AD.- References :...	September 25, 1879
206 Hersilia 206 Hersilia 206 Hersilia is a fairly large Main belt asteroid. It is classified as a primitive, dark carbon-rich C-type asteroid.It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on October 13, 1879 in Clinton, New York.It was named after Hersilia, Roman wife of Romulus....	October 13, 1879
209 Dido 209 Dido 209 Dido is a very large main-belt asteroid. It is classified as a C-type asteroid and is probably composed of privitive carbonaceous materials. Like many asteroids of its type, it has an extremely low albedo.It was discovered by C. H. F...	October 22, 1879
213 Lilaea 213 Lilaea 213 Lilaea is a large Main belt asteroid. It is classified as an F-type asteroid. As with C-type asteroids, its composition is primitive and rich in carbon.It was discovered by C. H. F...	February 16, 1880
234 Barbara 234 Barbara 234 Barbara is a Main belt asteroid. It is classified as an S-type asteroid.It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on August 12, 1883 in Clinton, New York.In 2009, it was discovered that 234 Barbara might be a double asteroid.- References :...	August 12, 1883
249 Ilse 249 Ilse 249 Ilse is a Main belt asteroid. It has an unusually slow rotation period, about 3.5 days.It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on August 16, 1885 in Clinton, New York and was named after Ilse, a legendary German princess....	August 16, 1885
259 Aletheia 259 Aletheia 259 Aletheia is a very large main-belt asteroid. It is composed of primitive carbonaceous materials and is very dark in colour, darker than coal.It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on June 28, 1886, in Clinton, New York....	June 28, 1886
261 Prymno 261 Prymno 261 Prymno is a somewhat large Main belt asteroid. It is classified as a B-type asteroid and probably has a primitive composition not unlike common C-type carbonaceous asteroids.It was discovered by C. H. F...	October 31, 1886
264 Libussa 264 Libussa 264 Libussa is a large Main belt asteroid. It is classified as an S-type asteroid.It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on December 22, 1886 in Clinton, New York and was named after Libussa, the legendary founder of Prague.- References :...	December 22, 1886
270 Anahita 270 Anahita 270 Anahita is a stony S-type Main belt asteroid.It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on October 8, 1887 in Clinton, New York.It was named after the Avestan divinity Aredvi Sura Anahita.- References :...	October 8, 1887
287 Nephthys 287 Nephthys 287 Nephthys is a large Main belt asteroid. It is classified as an S-type asteroid.It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on August 25, 1889 in Clinton, New York....	August 25, 1889

Christian Heinrich Friedrich Peters (September 19, 1813–July 18, 1890) was a German-American 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...

, and one of the first to discover asteroids.

He was born in Schleswig-Holstein

Schleswig-Holstein

Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig...

, then part of Denmark

Denmark

Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...

 but later part of Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

, and later studied under Carl Friedrich Gauss

Carl Friedrich Gauss

Johann Carl Friedrich Gauss was a German mathematician and scientist who contributed significantly to many fields, including number theory, statistics, analysis, differential geometry, geodesy, geophysics, electrostatics, astronomy and optics.Sometimes referred to as the Princeps mathematicorum...

. Peters spoke many languages and gravitated to Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

 at the time of the Italian unification

Italian unification

Italian unification was the political and social movement that agglomerated different states of the Italian peninsula into the single state of Italy in the 19th century...

. His association with radical groups brought him to the attention of authorities, and he fled to Ottoman Turkey

Turkey

Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...

, where he became a government advisor. At the suggestion of the resident U.S. consul, he emigrated to the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 in 1854.

Working at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York

Clinton, Oneida County, New York

Clinton is a village in Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 1,952 at the 2000 census. It was named for George Clinton, a royal governor of the colony of New York....

 (near Utica

Utica, New York

Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....

), he was 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, discovering 48 of them, beginning with 72 Feronia

72 Feronia

72 Feronia is a quite large and dark main belt asteroid. It was the first asteroid discovery by C. H. F. Peters, on May 29, 1861 from Hamilton College, New York State. It was initially thought that Peters had merely seen the already known asteroid 66 Maja, but T.H. Safford showed that it was a new...

 in 1861 and ending with 287 Nephthys

287 Nephthys

287 Nephthys is a large Main belt asteroid. It is classified as an S-type asteroid.It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on August 25, 1889 in Clinton, New York....

 in 1889.

He was involved in litigation in 1889 with his former assistant Charles A. Borst, and the "Great Star-Catalog Case" Peters v. Borst went before the Supreme Court of New York. The judge sided with Peters, but many astronomers and newspapers sided with Borst. Peters died not long after. After his death, the judgment was ultimately reversed on appeal and a new trial was ordered, but it never took place. The eminent astronomer Simon Newcomb

Simon Newcomb

Simon Newcomb was a Canadian-American astronomer and mathematician. Though he had little conventional schooling, he made important contributions to timekeeping as well as writing on economics and statistics and authoring a science fiction novel.-Early life:Simon Newcomb was born in the town of...

 devotes a chapter in his memoirs to Peters, as an object lesson in how great scientific talent and poor ethical standards may coexist in a single individual.

Besides asteroids, he co-discovered the periodic comet 80P/Peters-Hartley, and also discovered various nebula

Nebula

A nebula is an interstellar cloud of dust, hydrogen gas, helium gas and other ionized gases...

e and galaxies

Galaxy

A galaxy is a massive, gravitationally bound system that consists of stars and stellar remnants, an interstellar medium of gas and dust, and an important but poorly understood component tentatively dubbed dark matter. The word galaxy is derived from the Greek galaxias , literally "milky", a...

.

He died on his bed July 18, 1890 in Utica

Utica, New York

Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....

.