Robert Luther

Asteroids discovered: 24^[1]

17 Thetis	April 17, 1852
26 Proserpina	May 5, 1853
28 Bellona	March 1, 1854
35 Leukothea	April 19, 1855
37 Fides	October 5, 1855
47 Aglaja	September 15, 1857
50 Virginia^[1]	October 19, 1857
53 Kalypso	April 4, 1858
57 Mnemosyne	September 22, 1859
58 Concordia	March 24, 1860
68 Leto	April 29, 1861
71 Niobe	August 13, 1861
78 Diana	March 15, 1863
82 Alkmene	November 27, 1864
84 Klio	August 25, 1865
90 Antiope	October 1, 1866
95 Arethusa	November 23, 1867
108 Hecuba	April 2, 1869
113 Amalthea	March 12, 1871
118 Peitho	March 15, 1872
134 Sophrosyne	September 27, 1873
241 Germania	September 12, 1884
247 Eukrate	March 14, 1885
258 Tyche	May 4, 1886
288 Glauke	February 20, 1890
^1 discovered independently 15 days after James Ferguson, but reported first

Karl Theodor Robert Luther (April 16, 1822 – February 15, 1900), normally published as Robert Luther, was a German astronomer. While working at the Bilk Observatory in Düsseldorf, Germany, he searched for asteroids and discovered 24 of them between 1852 and 1890.^[1][2]

Two of his discoveries are now known to have unusual properties: 90 Antiope, a binary asteroid with equal components, and the extremely slow-rotating 288 Glauke. The asteroid 1303 Luthera and the lunar crater Luther were named in his honour.^[2][3] He was awarded the Lalande Prize in 1852, 1855, 1860, and 1861.

References

1. "Minor Planet Discoverers (by number)". Minor Planet Center. 28 December 2015. Retrieved February 2016.
2. Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (1303) Luthera. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 107. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3. Retrieved March 2016.
3. "Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature – Planetary Names: Crater, craters: Luther on Moon". International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN). Retrieved March 2016.