ROMANIAN NAMES IN THE SKY

ROMANIAN NAMES ON MERCURY Recently (April 2008) a crater on Mercury was named after the Romanian poet: Mihai Eminescu ( ).

Eminescu crater is 125 km in diameter. It is an interesting crater that seems to have formed more recently than the rest of the craters on Mercury. Chains of small craters are found around the crater Eminescu. They were formed by fragments that were detached from the asteroid that formed the crater Eminescu. In the center of the crater a circular mountain chain can be seen. Position of Eminescu crater on Mercury

ROMANIAN NAMES ON VENUS The first Romanian name on Venus is the poet Elena Văcărescu ( ). She lived in France but was born in Romania.

The crater, located in the southern hemisphere of the planet, has a diameter of 31.5 km. Even if Elena Văcărescu lived between 1866 and 1947, the crater received her name in This crater is at the edge of a mountain range called Saul on his back. Position of Văcărescu crater on Venus

ROMANIAN NAMES ON THE MOON The only crater with a Romanian name on the moon is called Haret, after the mathematician-astronomer Spiru Haret ( ). As ministry of education, Haret issued a decree for the establishment of the Astronomical Observatory of Bucharest.

The crater is 29 km in diameter and is located in the hemisphere that can not be seen from Earth, near the Moon's South Pole. In the vicinity of Haret crater there are dozens of large craters that have no names. Position of Haret crater on the moon

ROMANIAN-NAMED ASTEROIDS The first asteroid named after a Romanian artist, 6429 Brancusi (Romanian sculptor known throughout the world) still revolves around the sun. It was discovered in 1971 at the Palomar Observatory (USA). The asteroid makes a rotation around the Sun once every 3.16 years and can be approached from km from Earth. Its diameter is estimated between 4-9 km.

Asteroid 9493 Enescu has the name of the most famous Romanian composer George Enescu. It was discovered in 1971 at the Palomar Observatory. Located at over 250 million km away, Enescu asteroid is up to 9 km in diameter.

9494 Donici is named after the astronomer Nicolae Donici. He was one of the founders of the International Astronomical Union and the first representative of Romania in this forum. He dealt with the study of the Sun, noting six total eclipses Donici is named after the astronomer Nicolae Donici. He was one of the founders of the International Astronomical Union and the first representative of Romania in this forum. He dealt with the study of the Sun, noting six total eclipses. Poet Mihai Eminescu is immortalized in the sky by asteroid 9495 Eminescu. It is an asteroid discovered in 1971 at the Palomar Observatory. It is situated at an average distance of 250 million km from Earth. It makes a complete revolution around the Sun once every 3.23 years. Eminescu asteroid diameter is not exceeding 6 km. Poet Mihai Eminescu is immortalized in the sky by asteroid 9495 Eminescu. It is an asteroid discovered in 1971 at the Palomar Observatory. It is situated at an average distance of 250 million km from Earth. It makes a complete revolution around the Sun once every 3.23 years. Eminescu asteroid diameter is not exceeding 6 km. The asteroid 1381 Danubia was discovered on August 20, 1930 at Simeis observatory. Its name was proposed by the Romanian astronomer Calin Popovici. It is a pretty big asteroid approximately 24 km in diameter. The asteroid 1381 Danubia was discovered on August 20, 1930 at Simeis observatory. Its name was proposed by the Romanian astronomer Calin Popovici. It is a pretty big asteroid approximately 24 km in diameter.

All asteroids with Romanian names. All are located between Mars and Jupiter in the main belt.

ROMANIAN-NAMED COMETS Comets have the name of their discoverer or their first three discoverers. Until now only a Romanian achieved this: Victor Daimaca. Comets have the name of their discoverer or their first three discoverers. Until now only a Romanian achieved this: Victor Daimaca. Victor Daimaca, was a mathematics teacher in Targu-Jiu. His passion was astronomy. He chose to search comets, an activity that involves scanning specific areas every calm evening to detect comets that might arise in those areas. Victor Daimaca, was a mathematics teacher in Targu-Jiu. His passion was astronomy. He chose to search comets, an activity that involves scanning specific areas every calm evening to detect comets that might arise in those areas. With binoculars, Daimaca observed on 3 September 1943, a new comet at the boundary between the constellations Lynx and Ursa Major. It was the first comet discovered by a Romanian; it was registered at the International Center in Copenhagen as the comet Daimaca 1943c. Other astronomers have seen the comet, confirming the discovery of Daimaca. With binoculars, Daimaca observed on 3 September 1943, a new comet at the boundary between the constellations Lynx and Ursa Major. It was the first comet discovered by a Romanian; it was registered at the International Center in Copenhagen as the comet Daimaca 1943c. Other astronomers have seen the comet, confirming the discovery of Daimaca. Less than four months after the first discovery, on 16 December 1943 Daimaca found a second comet, but it was simultaneously discovered by astronomers Van Gent and Peltier, that’s why it was called van Gent-Peltier- Daimaca 1943 W1. Less than four months after the first discovery, on 16 December 1943 Daimaca found a second comet, but it was simultaneously discovered by astronomers Van Gent and Peltier, that’s why it was called van Gent-Peltier- Daimaca 1943 W1.

Comets have been discovered with binoculars. Now they are located very far from Earth, at 21 billion km (comet Daimaca) and 19 billion km (Comet van Gent-Peltier-Daimaca).

Presentation made by the Comenius team from the School no 2 Galati, Romania for the project meeting during from 2 nd to 6 th May 2011.