Joel Hastings Metcalf facts for kids

Joel Hastings Metcalf (born January 4, 1866 – died February 23, 1925) was an American astronomer. He was famous for finding many comets and asteroids.

Metcalf was also a Unitarian minister. This means he was a religious leader. He studied at Harvard Divinity School and finished his studies in 1892. After that, he worked in different towns like Burlington, Vermont, Taunton, Massachusetts, Winchester, Massachusetts, and Portland, Maine.

Discoveries in Space

Joel Hastings Metcalf was very good at finding objects in space. He discovered many comets, including two well-known ones: 23P/Brorsen-Metcalf and 97P/Metcalf-Brewington.

He also found a large number of asteroids. In total, he discovered 41 asteroids! Asteroids are like small, rocky worlds that orbit the Sun, mostly found between Mars and Jupiter. Some of the asteroids he discovered include 525 Adelaide, 581 Tauntonia, and 599 Luisa.

See also

• In Spanish: Joel Hastings Metcalf para niños