Liisi Oterma

Liisi Oterma (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈliːsi ˈotermɑ]) (6 January 1915 4 April 2001) was a Finnish astronomer, the first woman to get a Ph.D. degree in astronomy in Finland.[1]

Liisi Oterma
BornJanuary 6, 1915
DiedApril 4, 2001
Turku
Scientific career
FieldsAstronomy

She studied mathematics and astronomy at the University of Turku, and soon became Yrjö Väisälä's assistant and worked on the search for minor planets. She obtained her masters degree in 1938. From 1941 to 1965, Oterma worked as an observer at the university's observatory. She obtained her PhD in 1955 with a dissertation on telescope optics. She was the first Finnish woman to obtain a PhD in astronomy.[1]

In 1959, Oterma became a docent of astronomy and from 1965 to 1978 a professor in University of Turku. In 1971, she succeeded Väisälä as the director of the Tuorla Observatory. She was director of the astronomical-optical research institute at the University of Turku from 1971-1975.[1]

Oterma was interested in languages and spoke German, French, Italian, Spanish, Esperanto, Hungarian, English and also Arabic, for example. Oterma's original plans were to study Sanskrit, but it was not offered at the University of Turku, and the choice was ultimately focused on astronomy.[1]

Oterma was quiet, modest in nature, and fearful of publicity. Anders Reiz, a professor at the Copenhagen Observatory, among others, said Oterma was “silent in eleven languages”. Oterma avoided appearing in photographs, and there are only a handful of pictures of her.

She discovered or co-discovered several comets, including periodic comets 38P/Stephan-Oterma, 39P/Oterma and 139P/Väisälä–Oterma. She is also credited by the Minor Planet Center (MPC) with the discovery of 54 minor planets between 1938 and 1953, and ranks 153th on MPC's all-time discovery chart.[2]

The Hildian asteroid 1529 Oterma, discovered by Finnish astronomer Yrjö Väisälä in 1938, was named in her honour.[3]

Minor planets discovered

1504 LappeenrantaMarch 23, 1939
1507 VaasaSeptember 12, 1939
1522 KokkolaNovember 18, 1938
1540 KevolaNovember 16, 1938
1544 VinterhanseniaOctober 15, 1941
1545 ThernöeOctober 15, 1941
1558 JärnefeltJanuary 20, 1942
1559 KustaanheimoJanuary 20, 1942
1679 NevanlinnaMarch 18, 1941
1680 Per BraheFebruary 12, 1942
1695 WalbeckOctober 15, 1941
1705 TapioSeptember 26, 1941
1758 NaantaliFebruary 18, 1942
1882 RaumaOctober 15, 1941
2064 ThomsenSeptember 8, 1942
2107 IlmariNovember 12, 1941
2159 KukkamäkiOctober 16, 1941
2195 TengströmSeptember 27, 1941
2268 SzmytownaNovember 6, 1942
2291 KevoMarch 19, 1941
2332 KalmApril 4, 1940
2501 LohjaApril 14, 1942
2640 HällströmMarch 18, 1941
2717 TellervoNovember 29, 1940
2774 TenojokiOctober 3, 1942
2803 VilhoNovember 29, 1940
2804 YrjöApril 19, 1941
2805 KalleOctober 15, 1941
2827 VellamoFebruary 11, 1942
2828 Iku-TursoFebruary 18, 1942
2840 KallavesiOctober 15, 1941
2841 PuijoFebruary 26, 1943
2846 YlppöFebruary 12, 1942
2857 NOTFebruary 17, 1942
2912 LapalmaFebruary 18, 1942
2946 MuchachosOctober 15, 1941
2988 KorhonenMarch 1, 1943
3132 LandgrafNovember 29, 1940
3381 MikkolaOctober 15, 1941
3497 InnanenApril 19, 1941
3597 KakkuriOctober 15, 1941
3811 KarmaOctober 13, 1953
3892 DezsöApril 19, 1941
4133 HeurekaFebruary 17, 1942
4163 SaaremaaApril 19, 1941
4227 KaaliFebruary 17, 1942
(5216) 1941 HAApril 16, 1941
(5534) 1941 UNOctober 15, 1941
(5611) 1943 DLFebruary 26, 1943
(5985) 1942 RJSeptember 7, 1942
6886 GroteFebruary 11, 1942
7267 VictormeenFebruary 23, 1943
(11780) 1942 TBOctober 3, 1942
(15198) 1940 GJApril 5, 1940

References

  1. Isaksson, Eva. "Liisi Oterma, astronomer, 1915-2001". Women of Learning. City of Helsinki. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  2. "Minor Planet Discoverers (by number)". Minor Planet Center. 23 May 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  3. Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(1529) Oterma". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (1529) Oterma. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 121. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_1530. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
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