Stefan Kürti´s Astro Web

Czech & Slovak comet discoverers

Zdeňka Vávrová

Zdeňka Vávrová, (* 1945) is a Czech astronomer. She worked at Klet Observatory for 20 years. She discovered more than hundred minor planets and co-discovered 1 short periodic comet.

She worked at Klet Observatory as assistant of Antonín Mrkos during years 1975 - 1995. She worked on astrometry of asteroids and comets. Discoveries of 115 minor planets, with permanent number were credited to Zdenka Vávrová. One of her discoveries - asteroid 1983 JG - turned out to be a periodic comet. It is known as a 134P/Kowal-Vávrová.

Zdeňka Vávrová found an asteroid 1980 SM on 1980 Sep. 29, which received permanent number in November 1997. In April 2014 this asteroid was named as (7984) Marius in honor of German astronomer Simon Marius, the independent discoverer of four biggest Jovian moons, but he publicly informed about it only few years later than Galileo Galilei.

                                           

Asteroid 3364 discovered by Antonín Mrkos on April 5, 1984 at Kleť Observatory was named to her honour   (3364) Zdenka.

Citation published in Minor Planet Circular:

Named in honour of Zdeňka Vávrová for her 20 devoted years in the atrometric program at Kleť.

List of comets discovered by Zdeňka Vávrová

References: Lutz D. Schmadel: Dictionary of Minor Planet Names, Springer Verlag, 2003, p. 280