Loren C. Ball

Minor planets discovered: 112[1]
see § List of discovered minor planets

Loren C. Ball
Born1948 (age 77–78)
Watonga, Oklahoma, United States
Known forAmateur astronomer specialising in the discovery of Minor planets

Loren C. Ball (born 1948 in Watonga, Oklahoma, United States[2]) is an American amateur astronomer, who has discovered more than 100 asteroids while working at his Emerald Lane Observatory (843), built on the roof of his house on Emerald Lane, Decatur, Alabama.[3][4][5] As of 2026, he has credit for 112 numbered designations with the Minor Planet Center at Harvard for the period between 2000 and 2004. None of them were co-discoveries.[1] He is under contract with NASA through the University of Alabama in Huntsville to do outreach to school groups and organisations.[5] As of 2024, he promotes asteroid education in schools and on social media.[3]

The main-belt asteroid 16095 Lorenball, discovered by astronomers with the Catalina Sky Survey in 1999, is named after him.[3] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 8 November 2019 (M.P.C. 118219).[6]

List of discovered minor planets

34351 Decatur 3 September 2000 list
51599 Brittany 28 April 2001 list
61400 Voxandreae 25 August 2000 list
62701 Davidrankin 7 October 2000 list
(64123) 2001 TS18 15 October 2001 list
(65260) 2002 GE2 6 April 2002 list
72834 Guywells 25 April 2001 list
73073 Jannaleuty 4 April 2002 list
(73196) 2002 JZ10 8 May 2002 list
(78284) 2002 PC43 11 August 2002 list
(83596) 2001 SC263 25 September 2001 list
(88377) 2001 PK29 15 August 2001 list
92586 Jaxonpowell 9 August 2000 list
93164 Gordontelepun 29 September 2000 list
(93466) 2000 TO 2 October 2000 list
(93490) 2000 TV33 8 October 2000 list
(94404) 2001 SO287 30 September 2001 list
(105272) 2000 QD25 26 August 2000 list
(105508) 2000 RA9 3 September 2000 list
(106096) 2000 TQ 2 October 2000 list
(108917) 2001 PX14 15 August 2001 list
112483 Missjudy 1 August 2002 list
(112484) 2002 PB1 4 August 2002 list
(112539) 2002 PB40 8 August 2002 list
(114910) 2003 QA29 24 August 2003 list
115492 Watonga 23 October 2003 list
119195 Margaretgreer 25 August 2001 list
(120148) 2003 GO51 12 April 2003 list
(125266) 2001 VG 7 November 2001 list
128345 Danielbamberger 15 April 2004 list
(131327) 2001 HC23 27 April 2001 list
(131414) 2001 NB6 14 July 2001 list
(131446) 2001 QP100 24 August 2001 list
(132296) 2002 GB1 4 April 2002 list
(132298) 2002 GD2 6 April 2002 list
(140603) 2001 UQ 18 October 2001 list
(140632) 2001 UQ17 26 October 2001 list
(140633) 2001 UR17 26 October 2001 list
(142155) 2002 RT28 6 September 2002 list
(144553) 2004 FB6 23 March 2004 list
(148772) 2001 UU2 20 October 2001 list
(153175) 2000 UN2 24 October 2000 list
(153757) 2001 UN210 21 October 2001 list
(154345) 2002 WS18 29 November 2002 list
(156036) 2001 SD 16 September 2001 list
(158330) 2001 WK2 18 November 2001 list
(160165) 2001 UR 18 October 2001 list
(163363) 2002 OV19 29 July 2002 list
(166422) 2002 PS1 5 August 2002 list
(166857) 2002 XE 1 December 2002 list
(170072) 2002 VG128 14 November 2002 list
(173449) 2000 QO6 25 August 2000 list
(173875) 2001 UQ14 24 October 2001 list
(177191) 2003 UD10 20 October 2003 list
(180683) 2004 HF 16 April 2004 list
(182595) 2001 UH18 29 October 2001 list
(183379) 2002 XL44 7 December 2002 list
(187987) 2001 RJ43 12 September 2001 list
(189076) 2001 HN 16 April 2001 list
(193801) 2001 PV13 14 August 2001 list
(193947) 2001 RA46 15 September 2001 list
(194124) 2001 SD263 25 September 2001 list
(195511) 2002 HV5 19 April 2002 list
(195874) 2002 RC1 3 September 2002 list
(203866) 2002 XF 1 December 2002 list
(205558) 2001 SF273 27 September 2001 list
(209155) 2003 UE10 20 October 2003 list
(213785) 2003 FZ4 25 March 2003 list
(219382) 2000 SU89 29 September 2000 list
(219590) 2001 TQ18 15 October 2001 list
(222873) 2002 GL 3 April 2002 list
(237607) 2001 QQ71 21 August 2001 list
(239965) 2001 NC6 14 July 2001 list
(242244) 2003 SW217 28 September 2003 list
(243777) 2000 SJ 19 September 2000 list
(247588) 2002 TW92 2 October 2002 list
(259901) 2004 EL 11 March 2004 list
(264594) 2001 UM1 19 October 2001 list
(270980) 2002 WJ11 25 November 2002 list
(286262) 2001 VK17 12 November 2001 list
(286762) 2002 HU4 16 April 2002 list
(287059) 2002 RF1 4 September 2002 list
(287436) 2002 XP3 2 December 2002 list
(287622) 2003 HO16 28 April 2003 list
(288473) 2004 FA6 23 March 2004 list
(297382) 2000 QC 21 August 2000 list
(298268) 2002 XG 1 December 2002 list
(298353) 2003 KU16 28 May 2003 list
(302625) 2002 RD1 4 September 2002 list
(313062) 2000 SS89 29 September 2000 list
(317288) 2002 GR1 5 April 2002 list
(323243) 2003 SO201 23 September 2003 list
(333352) 2001 UK6 22 October 2001 list
(334264) 2001 UH6 22 October 2001 list
(337704) 2001 UJ6 22 October 2001 list
(337814) 2001 VG2 10 November 2001 list
(344229) 2001 SC 16 September 2001 list
(344291) 2001 UQ4 21 October 2001 list
(344455) 2002 LE47 15 June 2002 list
(354414) 2003 VA 1 November 2003 list
(357096) 2001 TR18 15 October 2001 list
(373481) 2000 TP 2 October 2000 list
(390557) 2000 UL2 24 October 2000 list
(399394) 2001 SL287 29 September 2001 list
(405121) 2002 GF2 6 April 2002 list
(415816) 2001 QT71 21 August 2001 list
(434064) 2001 VX71 12 November 2001 list
(601867) 2013 UL12 1 September 2002 list
(629360) 2001 UR4 21 October 2001 list
(661253) 2004 EM 11 March 2004 list
(720301) 2000 SK 19 September 2000 list
(848006) 2002 TF150 29 September 2002 list

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Minor Planet Discoverers (by number)". Minor Planet Center. 23 May 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  2. ^ "(115492) Watonga = 2003 UR22" (PDF). WGSBN Bulletin. 2 (7). International Astronomical Union: 12. 23 May 2022. Discovery: 2003-10-23 / L. Ball / Emerald Lane / 843. Watonga is a city (population about 5000) in Blaine County, Oklahoma, 70 miles northwest of Oklahoma City. Watonga is the county seat of Blaine County and the birthplace of the discoverer.
  3. ^ a b c "(16095) Lorenball". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  4. ^ "An Amateur Story – originally published in The Huntsville Times, 2001". bsasnashville.com. Archived from the original on 30 May 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2019. (at bellatrixobservatory.com)
  5. ^ a b Montgomery, Ben (13 December 2012). "Stars falling over Alabama". Decatur Daily.
  6. ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
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