Alan C. Gilmore

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Gilmore in 2025 Alan Gilmore MNZM (cropped).jpg
Gilmore in 2025
Asteroids discovered: 42 [1]
see § List of discovered minor planets

Alan Charles Gilmore MNZM (born 1944 in Greymouth, New Zealand) is a New Zealand astronomer and a discoverer of minor planets and other astronomical objects. [2] [3]

Contents

Career

Gilmore is credited by the Minor Planet Center with the discovery of 41 minor planets, all but one in collaboration with his wife Pamela M. Kilmartin. Both astronomers are also active nova- and comet-hunters.

Until their retirement in 2014, Gilmore and Kilmartin worked at Mount John University Observatory (Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Canterbury), where they continue to receive observing time. He is also a member of the Organizing Committee of IAU Commission 6, which oversees the dissemination of information and the assignment of credit for astronomical discoveries. The Commission still bears the name "Astronomical Telegrams", even though telegrams are no longer used.

On 20 August 2007, Gilmore discovered his first periodic comet, P/2007 Q2. [4]

The Eunomia asteroid 2537 Gilmore was named in his honour, [3] while his wife is honuored with the outer main-belt asteroid 3907 Kilmartin. [5]

Gilmore talks on astronomy on the Radio New Zealand programme Nights' Science . [6] In May 2019, he and his wife were honoured by New Zealand Post with a stamp in its New Zealand Space Pioneers series. [7]

In the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours, Gilmore was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to astronomy. [8]

List of discovered minor planets

2434 Bateson 27 May 981
3087 Beatrice Tinsley 30 August 1981
3152 Jones 7 June 1983
3305 Ceadams 21 May 1985
3400 Aotearoa 2 April 1981
3521 Comrie 26 June 1982
3563 Canterbury 23 March 1985
3810 Aoraki 20 February1985
4154 Rumsey 10 July 1985
4243 Nankivell 4 April 1981
4248 Ranald 23 April 1984
4409 Kissling 30 June 1989
4819 Gifford 24 May 1985
4837 Bickerton 30 June 1989
5207 Hearnshaw 15 April 1988
5251 Bradwood 18 May 1985
5311 Rutherford 3 April 1981
5718 Roykerr 4 August 1983
5763 Williamtobin 23 June 1982
(5818) 1989 RC1 5 September 1989
(5898) 1985 KE 23 May 1985
(5906) 1989 SN5 24 September 1989
(6034) 1987 JA 5 May 1987
(6142) 1993 FP 23 March 1993
(7432) 1993 HL523 April 1993
(8481) 1988 LH14 June 1988
(8884) 1994 CM212 February 1994
(9018) 1987 JG 5 May 1987
(9750) 1989 NE18 July 1989
(11080) 1993 FO23 March 1993
(13510) 1989 OL29 July 1989
(13511) 1989 RD15 September 1989
(13552) 1992 GA4 April 1992
(15712) 1989 RN21 September 1989
(18340) 1989 OM29 July 1989
(21130) 1993 FN23 March 1993
(30945) 1994 GW914 April 1994
(48501) 1993 FM23 March 1993
(58158) 1989 RA1 September 1989
(65718) 1993 FL23 March 1993
(214416) 2005 PK [Z] 2 August 2005
(422979) 2003 PX104 August 2003
znot co-discovered with P. M. Kilmartin

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Minor Planet Discoverers (by number)". Minor Planet Center. 20 June 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  2. ↑ "Professor Alan Gilmore at University of Canterbury". University of Canterbury. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
  3. 1 2 Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(2537) Gilmore". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (2537) Gilmore. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 207. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_2538. ISBN   978-3-540-00238-3.
  4. ↑ Comet P/2007 Q2 (Gilmore), IAUC 8865
  5. ↑ Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(3907) Kilmartin". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (3907) Kilmartin. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 332. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_3896. ISBN   978-3-540-00238-3.
  6. ↑ "Alan Gilmore". Radio New Zealand . Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  7. ↑ "New Zealand Post". New Zealand Space Pioneers. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  8. ↑ "King's Birthday Honours List 2025". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 2 June 2025. Retrieved 28 September 2025.


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