David J. Higgins

David J. Higgins is an Australian amateur astronomer. He is a prolific observer of Small Solar System Bodies (asteroids) undertaking photometric studies in an effort to determine their synodic rotation period and occasionally uncovering the presence of a moon. His observations are undertaken at Hunters Hill Observatory in Canberra, Australia.

Discoveries and research

Higgins has discovered a Near Earth Object (NEO), 2005 UL1, on 24 October 2005. This was as a participant in the Spacewatch Fast Moving Object program using images taken by the 0.91m Spacewatch Telescope at Kitt Peak.

He has also discovered asteroids, uncovered the binary nature of asteroids (discovered the asteroid had a moon) and in the process of measuring the photometry of asteroids uncovered many new eclipsing binary stars.

Higgins is a member of the Binary Asteroid Photometric Survey and participates in other programs including MicroFun (photometry of stars being occulted by MACHO's in the Galactic Bulge), AAVSO and has his own Supernova Survey of Southern Sky galaxies.

Asteroids

  • 2004 HJ48
  • 2004 JY6

Asteroid moons

  • (17260) 2000 JQ58
  • (6244) Okamoto*
  • (2478) Tokai
  • (1830) Pogson
  • (6265) 1985 TW3
  • (8116) Jeanperrin
  • (4029) Bridges
  • (6084) Bascom

Eclipsing binary stars

  • GSC05740-02196
  • GSC05802-00929
  • GSC00252-00080
  • GSC06186-01594
  • GSC05051-00119
  • GSC00032-00882

Awards and Grants

Higgins is one of only 3 Australians to be awarded a "Gene Shoemaker Near Earth Object Grant" from the Planetary Society. The Grant was offered in 2005 and was used to fund a new CCD Camera for the observatory.

Asteroid 33750 Davehiggins was named in his honour.

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