Hungarian astronomer discovers near-Earth asteroids

Krisztian Sarneczky, a researcher at the Konkoly Thege Miklos Astronomical Institute of HUN-REN Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences (CSFK), last month became the second Hungarian to be selected as an honorary member of the International Astronomical Union after his discovery of two comets within a single week in July, the research network said in a statement. Sarneczky was selected among 15 new honorary members.

Just a few days ago, Sarneczky identified several previously unknown near-Earth asteroids using the telescope at the Piszkesteto Observatory.

“It’s difficult to find a comet, typically only a few dozen are discovered worldwide in a year — far fewer than asteroids or supernovae,” the statement quoted Sarneczky as saying. He said this was one of the most challenging, yet most prestigious branches of astronomy, noting that according to tradition, a newly discovered celestial body is automatically named after the person who discovers it.

Sarneczky said the significance of comets lies in the fact that they contain materials that may have formed during the formation of the Solar System. “If such a comet is visiting us for the first time, it can bring fresh material, providing valuable insights into the formation of our Solar System,” he said.