David D. Balam
Encyclopedia
David D. Balam is a Canadian
astronomer
and a research associate with University of Victoria's
Department of Physics
and Astronomy
, in Victoria
, British Columbia
. Specializing in the search for Near-Earth object
s, Balam is one of the world's most prolific contributors to this research; only two astronomers have made more such discoveries than Balam. He is credited with the discovery or co-discovery of more than 600 asteroids, over a thousand extra-galactic supernovae, and novae
in the galaxy M31. Balam is also co-credited for the 1997 discovery of Comet Zhu-Balam
.
Among celestial bodies discovered by Balam are the asteroid 150145 Uvic
, which he named for the University of Victoria, and 197856 Tafelmusik
, named for the Baroque orchestra in Toronto
. The asteroid 3749 Balam
is named in his honour, recognizing the fact that he developed most of the software for the university's astrometric program on minor planets and comets. Currently, Balam conducts an optical transient survey (OTS) using the 1.82-m Plaskett Telescope of the National Research Council of Canada.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
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 a research associate with University of Victoria's
University of Victoria
The University of Victoria, often referred to as UVic, is the second oldest public research university in British Columbia, Canada. It is a research intensive university located in Saanich and Oak Bay, about northeast of downtown Victoria. The University's annual enrollment is about 20,000 students...
Department of Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
and Astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
, in Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. Specializing in the search for Near-Earth object
Near-Earth object
A near-Earth object is a Solar System object whose orbit brings it into close proximity with the Earth. All NEOs have a perihelion distance less than 1.3 AU. They include a few thousand near-Earth asteroids , near-Earth comets, a number of solar-orbiting spacecraft, and meteoroids large enough to...
s, Balam is one of the world's most prolific contributors to this research; only two astronomers have made more such discoveries than Balam. He is credited with the discovery or co-discovery of more than 600 asteroids, over a thousand extra-galactic supernovae, and novae
Nova
A nova is a cataclysmic nuclear explosion in a star caused by the accretion of hydrogen on to the surface of a white dwarf star, which ignites and starts nuclear fusion in a runaway manner...
in the galaxy M31. Balam is also co-credited for the 1997 discovery of Comet Zhu-Balam
Comet Zhu-Balam
Comet Zhu-Balam is a long-period comet first identified by David D. Balam on June 8, 1997 and originally photographed by Gin Zhu on June 3, 1997...
.
Among celestial bodies discovered by Balam are the asteroid 150145 Uvic
150145 Uvic
150145 Uvic is a main-belt asteroid discovered on January 23, 1996 by David D. Balam at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory. The Asteroid is named for the University of Victoria.- External links :*...
, which he named for the University of Victoria, and 197856 Tafelmusik
197856 Tafelmusik
197856 Tafelmusik is an asteroid discovered by David D. Balam on Aug. 21, 2004. There have been precovery images dating back to 2001. It is named for the Baroque orchestra in Toronto....
, named for the Baroque orchestra in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. The asteroid 3749 Balam
3749 Balam
3749 Balam is an asteroid orbiting the Sun. It is named after the Canadian astronomer David D. Balam.- Satellite system :A satellite, designated S/2002 1, was discovered by William J. Merline, Laird M. Close, Nick Siegler, Christophe Dumas, Clark R. Chapman, François J. Rigaut, François Ménard,...
is named in his honour, recognizing the fact that he developed most of the software for the university's astrometric program on minor planets and comets. Currently, Balam conducts an optical transient survey (OTS) using the 1.82-m Plaskett Telescope of the National Research Council of Canada.