+ Minor planets discovered: 274 see

Antonín Mrkos () (27 January 1918 – 29 May 1996) was a Czech astronomer.

Biography Mrkos entered the University in Brno in 1938. His studies were interrupted by the onset of World War II, and in 1945 he became a staff member at the Skalnaté Pleso Observatory in Czechoslovakia (now in Slovakia). It was from here that he carried out his extremely active cometary programme and became the discoverer of several unusual comets, the most famous of them the bright Comet 1957d.

He was the second Czech in Antarctica and the first Czechoslovak to reach the Southern Pole of Inaccessibility as a member of the 3rd Soviet Antarctic Expedition (1957–1959). The Czechoslovak flag was the second flag raised after the flag of the USSR. He returned to Antarctica as the head of the four-member Czechoslovak crew in the seventh Soviet Antarctic Expedition (1961–1963). He was studying auroras among other things."První český vědec na Antarktidě: Výzkum v nejdrsnějších podmínkách na Zemi" by Hynek Adámek, National Geographic Czech, 18 May 2012

He was invited for what would have been his third expedition to the Antarctic but could not participate because of an almost fatal accident. It is thought someone tried to injure or to kill him by adding a bottle of strongly concentrated detergent among his other bottles of mineral water. Since this accident he could only eat liquid meals for the rest of his life.

In 1965 he became director of Kleť Observatory. Beginning in 1968 he made photographic observations at Kleť and extended this activity to minor planets in 1977. For many years he was the most regular contributor of data to the Minor Planet Center. He was President of Commission 6 from 1985 until 1988 (and vice president from 1982 until 1985). He was associate professor at the Charles University in Prague and the University of South Bohemia. Mrkos died in 1996 in Prague, aged 78.

He discovered or co-discovered thirteen comets. Among these were the periodic comets 18D/Perrine–Mrkos, 45P/Honda–Mrkos–Pajdušáková, 124P/Mrkos and 143P/Kowal–Mrkos. He also discovered the bright non-periodic comet C/1957 P1 (or, in the nomenclature of the time, comet 1957d). He discovered a number of asteroids (273 in total), including the Amor asteroid 5797 Bivoj and Trojan asteroid 3451 Mentor.

Mrkos named asteroids 6758 Jesseowens in honour of Jesse Owens and 2747 Český Krumlov after the historic town of the same name. Another main-belt asteroid, 3357 Tolstikov, was named in honour of Yevgeny Tolstikov with whom he had explored the Antarctic in his youth. Fellow astronomer Lyudmila Chernykh named 1832 Mrkos in his honour, while Mrkos gratified her and her husband Nikolai with 2325 Chernykh.

List of discovered minor planets

2199 Kleť 6 June 1978 2304 Slavia 18 May 1979 2325 Chernykh 25 September 1979 2367 Praha 8 January 1981 2403 Šumava 25 September 1979 2404 Antarctica 1 October 1980 2552 Remek 24 September 1978 2559 Svoboda 23 October 1981 2747 Český Krumlov 19 February 1980 2811 Střemchoví 10 May 1980 2889 Brno 17 November 1981 2936 Nechvíle 17 September 1979 2971 Mohr 30 December 1980 3003 Konček 28 December 1983 3017 Petrovič 25 October 1981 3130 Hillary 20 December 1981 3137 Horky 16 September 1982 3141 Buchar 2 September 1984 3168 Lomnický Štít 1 December 1980 3257 Hanzlík 15 April 1982 3276 Porta Coeli 15 September 1982 3278 Běhounek 27 January 1984 3313 Mendel 19 February 1980 3324 Avsyuk 4 February 1983 3326 Agafonikov 20 March 1985 3334 Somov 20 December 1981 3339 Treshnikov 6 June 1978 3357 Tolstikov 21 March 1984 3364 Zdenka 5 April 1984 3395 Jitka 20 October 1985 3451 Mentor 19 April 1984 3490 Šolc 20 September 1984 3550 Link 20 December 1981 3571 Milanštefánik 15 March 1982 3629 Lebedinskij 21 November 1982 3630 Lubomír 28 August 1984 3636 Pajdušáková 17 October 1982 3645 Fabini 28 August 1981 3665 Fitzgerald 19 March 1979 3701 Purkyně 20 February 1985 3715 Štohl 19 February 1980 3716 Petzval 2 October 1980 3727 Maxhell 7 August 1981 3781 Dufek 2 September 1986 3791 Marci 17 November 1981 3827 Zdeněkhorský 3 November 1986 3847 Šindel 16 February 1982 3887 Gerstner 22 August 1985 3905 Doppler 28 August 1984 3949 Mach 20 October 1985 3979 Brorsen 8 November 1983 3980 Hviezdoslav 4 December 1983 3981 Stodola 26 January 1984 3983 Sakiko 20 September 1984 3993 Šorm 4 November 1988 4018 Bratislava 30 December 1980 4054 Turnov 5 October 1983 4090 Říšehvězd 2 September 1986 4176 Sudek 24 February 1987 4238 Audrey 13 April 1980 4249 Křemže 29 September 1984 4277 Holubov 15 January 1982 4287 Třísov 7 September 1989 4339 Almamater 20 October 1985 4405 Otava 21 August 1987 4408 Zlatá Koruna 4 October 1988 4552 Nabelek 11 May 1980 4554 Fanynka 28 October 1986 4610 Kájov 26 March 1989 4662 Runk 19 April 1984 4663 Falta 27 September 1984 4671 Drtikol 10 January 1988 4691 Toyen 7 October 1983 4698 Jizera 4 September 1986 4702 Berounka 23 April 1987 4801 Ohře 22 October 1989 4823 Libenice 4 October 1986 4824 Stradonice 25 November 1986 5026 Martes 22 August 1987 5089 Nádherná 25 September 1979 5102 Benfranklin 2 September 1986 5103 Diviš 4 September 1986 5122 Mucha 3 January 1989 5202 Charleseliot 5 December 1983 5250 Jas 21 August 1984 5318 Dientzenhofer 21 April 1985 5363 Kupka 19 October 1979 5418 Joyce 29 August 1981 5425 Vojtěch 20 September 1984 5552 Studnička 16 September 1982 5573 Hilarydownes 24 August 1981 5583 Braunerová 5 March 1989 5668 Foucault 22 March 1984 5712 Funke 25 September 1979 5719 Křižík 7 September 1983 5797 Bivoj 13 January 1980 5800 Pollock 16 October 1982 5801 Vasarely 26 January 1984 5803 Ötzi 21 July 1984 5804 Bambinidipraga 9 September 1985 5865 Qualytemocrina 31 August 1984 5891 Gehrig 22 September 1981 5894 Telč 14 September 1982 5897 Novotná 29 September 1984 5910 Zátopek 29 November 1989 5946 Hrozný 28 October 1984 5958 Barrande 29 January 1989 5997 Dirac 1 October 1983 5998 Sitenský 2 September 1986 6060 Doudleby 19 February 1980 6064 Holašovice 23 April 1987 6149 Pelčák 25 September 1979 6175 Cori 4 December 1983 6221 Ducentesima 13 April 1980 6223 Dahl 3 September 1980 6231 Hundertwasser 20 March 1985 6266 Letzel 4 October 1986 6281 Strnad 16 September 1980 6377 Cagney 25 June 1987 6379 Vrba 15 November 1987 6385 Martindavid 5 March 1989 6433 Enya 18 November 1978 6440 Ransome 8 September 1988 6441 Milenajesenská 9 September 1988 6469 Armstrong 14 August 1982 6470 Aldrin 14 September 1982 6471 Collins 4 March 1983 6481 Tenzing 9 September 1988 6508 Rolčík 22 August 1982 6516 Gruss 3 October 1988 6540 Stepling 16 September 1982 6542 Jacquescousteau 15 February 1985 6546 Kaye 24 February 1987 6550 Parléř 4 November 1988 6556 Arcimboldo 29 December 1989 6581 Sobers 22 September 1981 6583 Destinn 21 February 1984 6586 Seydler 28 October 1984 6594 Tasman 25 June 1987 6596 Bittner 15 November 1987 6597 Kreil 9 January 1988 6600 Qwerty 17 August 1988 6701 Warhol 14 January 1988 6712 Hornstein 23 February 1990 6758 Jesseowens 13 April 1980 6768 Mathiasbraun 7 September 1983 6769 Brokoff 15 February 1985 6774 Vladheinrich 4 November 1988 6779 Perrine 20 February 1990 6817 Pest 20 January 1982 6824 Mallory 8 September 1988 6825 Irvine 4 October 1988 6897 Tabei 15 November 1987 5 September 1986 7107 Peiser 15 August 1980 7114 Weinek 29 November 1986 7115 Franciscuszeno 29 November 1986 7118 Kuklov 4 November 1988 7171 Arthurkraus 13 January 1988 7226 Kryl 21 August 1984 7232 Nabokov 20 October 1985 7328 Casanova 20 September 1984 7332 Ponrepo 4 December 1986 7334 Sciurus 17 August 1988 7391 Strouhal 8 November 1983 7398 Walsh 3 November 1986 7403 Choustník 14 January 1988 7464 Vipera 15 November 1987 7635 Carolinesmith 6 November 1983 7644 Cslewis 4 November 1988 7645 Pons 4 January 1989 7694 Krasetín 29 September 1983 7695 Přemysl 27 November 1984 7699 Božek 2 February 1989 7701 Zrzavý 14 October 1990 7742 Altamira 20 October 1985 7820 Ianlyon 14 October 1990 7859 Lhasa 19 October 1979 7864 Borucki 14 March 1982 7867 Burian 20 September 1984 7927 Jamiegilmour 29 November 1986 7993 Johnbridges 16 October 1982 8001 Ramsden 4 October 1986 8002 Tonyevans 4 December 1986 8022 Scottcrossfield 10 November 1990 8143 Nezval 11 November 1982 8152 Martinlee 3 November 1986 25 November 1986 8249 Gershwin 13 April 1980 8258 McCracken 15 September 1982 8267 Kiss 4 October 1986 8333 Medina 7 November 1982 8336 Šafařík 27 September 1984 8343 Tugendhat 4 October 1986 8479 Held 29 April 1987 8639 Vonšovský 3 November 1986 5 October 1989 9007 James Bond 5 October 1983 9008 Bohšternberk 27 January 1984 9011 Angelou 20 September 1984 9027 Graps 4 November 1988 9028 Konrádbeneš 26 January 1989 29 November 1989 16 October 1982 20 October 1982 9551 Kazi 20 October 1985 24 October 1985 29 January 1989 7 September 1981 9931 Herbhauptman 18 April 1985 10026 Sophiexeon 3 September 1980 10037 Raypickard 26 January 1984 20 October 1985 14 January 1988 22 September 1981 11019 Hansrott 25 April 1984 11020 Orwell 31 July 1984 11026 Greatbotkin 2 September 1986 25 October 1989 29 September 1984 4 November 1988 16 October 1982 11830 Jessenius 2 May 1984 3 November 1986 29 January 1989 22 October 1989 28 October 1984 15 November 1987 25 September 1979 8 September 1988 22 October 1989 24 March 1982 26 November 1987 7 September 1989 4 October 1986 17407 Teige 14 October 1987 14 August 1979 29 September 1984 20 October 1985 4 October 1986 19129 Loos 10 January 1988 6 October 1991 20964 Mons Naklethi 16 October 1977 20969 Samo 17 September 1979 22260 Ur 19 October 1979 7 September 1981 30 September 1986 11 October 1988 16 September 1990 23437 Šíma 27 September 1984 26 February 1979 12 April 1988 24662 Gryll 14 April 1988 24695 Štyrský 16 September 1990 14 September 1982 27 September 1984 29 September 1984 27 September 1984 2 September 1986 3 November 1986 14 October 1990 20 October 1985 4 October 1986 4 December 1986 4 November 1988 25 November 1986 22 September 1981 14 January 1988 14 October 1990 7 November 1986 3 October 1988 7 September 1989 25 January 1989 217628 Lugh 17 April 1990

List of discovered comets

+ Comets discovered: 13 C/1947 Y1 (Mrkos) 20 December 1947 C/1948 E1 (Pajdušáková–Mrkos) 13 March 1948 45P/Honda–Mrkos–Pajdušáková 7 December 1948 C/1952 H1 (Mrkos) 27 April 1952 C/1952 W1 (Mrkos) 28 November 1952 C/1953 G1 (Mrkos–Honda) 12 April 1953 C/1955 L1 (Mrkos) 12 June 1955 18D/Perrine–Mrkos 19 October 1955 C/1956 E1 (Mrkos) 12 March 1956 C/1957 P1 (Mrkos) 29 July 1957 C/1959 X1 (Mrkos) 3 December 1959 143P/Kowal–Mrkos 2 May 1984 124P/Mrkos 16 March 1991

See also

References