Ernest Leonard Johnson

Ernest Leonard Johnson
Born(1891-12-21)21 December 1891
Bloemfontein, Orange Free State
Died1977 (aged 85–86)
South Africa
NationalitySouth African
EducationGrey College
Known forDiscovery of 4 comets and 18 Asteroids
SpouseAisleen Devenish (married 1922)
AwardsDonohoe Comet Medal
Scientific career
FieldsAstronomy
InstitutionsUnion Observatory, Johannesburg
Minor planets discovered: 18 [1]
see § List of discovered minor planets

Ernest Leonard Johnson (1891–1977) was a South African astronomer and a former staff member of the Union Observatory in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is known for the discovery of 18 asteroids between 1946–1951, as well as several comets.[1] On 25 August 1949, he discovered 48P/Johnson, a periodic comet expected to pass no closer than 1.2 to 1.3 AU from our planet in 2025.[2] Johnson received the "Donohoe Comet Medal" twice[3]: 40  before retiring in 1956. He died in 1977.[4]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference MPC-Discoverers was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference 48P/Johnson was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Comet 1949 a was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Geni was invoked but never defined (see the help page).