Lenka Kotková facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Lenka Kotková (née Šarounová)
Lenka Kotková at the Ondřejov Observatory
Born	(1973-07-26) 26 July 1973 (age 51) Dobřichovice, Czechoslovakia
Nationality	Czech
Alma mater	Charles University of Prague
Known for	discoverer of minor planets
Awards	Cena Zdeňka Kvíze
Scientific career
Fields	Astronomer
Institutions	Astronomical Institute AV ČR in Ondřejov

Lenka Kotková (born 26 July 1973) is a famous Czech astronomer. An astronomer is a scientist who studies everything in space, like stars, planets, and galaxies. Lenka Kotková is especially known for finding many minor planets. Minor planets are small objects in space that orbit the Sun, but they are not as big as planets.

She works at the Observatoř Ondřejov (Ondřejov Observatory), which is a special place near Prague where scientists study space.

What Does an Astronomer Do?
- Discovering Asteroids
Awards and Recognition
Images for kids
See also

What Does an Astronomer Do?

Lenka Kotková studied meteorology (the study of weather) at the Charles University in Prague. But her main passion became space!

At the Astronomical Institute in Ondřejov, she does many important jobs:

She helps create and manage huge databases of space information.
She performs spectroscopy, which means she studies the light from space objects to learn what they are made of.
She does photometry, which is measuring the brightness of stars and other objects. This helps understand how far away they are or how they change over time.
She processes all the data collected from telescopes.

Discovering Asteroids

Lenka Kotková played a big role in finding and studying objects in space, especially near-Earth asteroids. These are asteroids that come close to Earth. Working with other astronomers like Petr Pravec and Peter Kušnirák, she helped find many binary asteroids. Binary asteroids are like two asteroids orbiting each other, similar to how the Earth and Moon orbit each other.

She has discovered or helped discover over 250 asteroids! Some of her most famous discoveries include:

9671 Hemera: This is a Mars-crosser asteroid, meaning its orbit crosses the orbit of Mars.
21804 Václavneumann: This asteroid belongs to the Hilda family, a group of asteroids that have a special orbital relationship with Jupiter.

Awards and Recognition

In the year 2000, Lenka Kotková received the Zdeněk Kvíz Award. This award from the Czech Astronomical Society recognized her important work in studying variable stars. Variable stars are stars whose brightness changes over time.

It's also common for astronomers to name asteroids after people they admire or their family members.

The asteroid 10390 Lenka was named after her by her colleagues Petr Pravec and Marek Wolf.
She named the asteroid 60001 Adélka after her daughter.
The asteroid 7897 Bohuška was named after her mother.

Images for kids

7670 Kabeláč

7670 Kabeláč
7849 Janjosefrič

7849 Janjosefrič
7897 Bohuška

7897 Bohuška
8217 Dominikhašek

8217 Dominikhašek
8229 Kozelský

8229 Kozelský
8557 Šaroun

8557 Šaroun
9449 Petrbondy

9449 Petrbondy
9671 Hemera

9671 Hemera
10173 Hanzelkazikmund

10173 Hanzelkazikmund
10215 Lavilledemirmont

10215 Lavilledemirmont
10626 Zajíc

10626 Zajíc
10634 Pepibican

10634 Pepibican
10919 Pepíkzicha

10919 Pepíkzicha
11101 Českáfilharmonie

11101 Českáfilharmonie
11201 Talich

11201 Talich
11325 Slavický

11325 Slavický
11326 Ladislavschmied

11326 Ladislavschmied
11333 Forman

11333 Forman
(11388) 1998 VU4

(11388) 1998 VU4
11408 Zahradník

11408 Zahradník
11598 Kubík

11598 Kubík
11736 Viktorfischl

11736 Viktorfischl
12002 Suess

12002 Suess
12006 Hruschka

12006 Hruschka
12051 Pícha

12051 Pícha
(12054) 1997 TT9

(12054) 1997 TT9
12468 Zachotín

12468 Zachotín
(12781) 1995 EA8

(12781) 1995 EA8
13226 Soulié

13226 Soulié
13406 Sekora

13406 Sekora
14124 Kamil

14124 Kamil
14550 Lehký

14550 Lehký
14980 Gustavbrom

14980 Gustavbrom
15382 Vian

15382 Vian
15392 Budějický

15392 Budějický
15403 Merignac

15403 Merignac
15898 Kharasterteam

15898 Kharasterteam
15902 Dostál

15902 Dostál
15917 Rosahavel

15917 Rosahavel
15925 Rokycany

15925 Rokycany
17600 Dobřichovice

17600 Dobřichovice
17625 Joseflada

17625 Joseflada
18460 Pecková

18460 Pecková
18838 Shannon

18838 Shannon
19291 Karelzeman

19291 Karelzeman
19364 Semafor

19364 Semafor
20496 Jeník

20496 Jeník
20497 Mařenka

20497 Mařenka
21229 Sušil

21229 Sušil
21655 Niklauswirth

21655 Niklauswirth
21664 Konradzuse

21664 Konradzuse
21801 Ančerl

21801 Ančerl
21804 Václavneumann

21804 Václavneumann
21985 Šejna

21985 Šejna
22505 Lewit

22505 Lewit
22697 Mánek

22697 Mánek
23583 Křivský

23583 Křivský
23648 Kolář

23648 Kolář
(23710) 1997 UJ

(23710) 1997 UJ
24046 Malovany

24046 Malovany
24829 Berounurbi

24829 Berounurbi
24967 Frištenský

24967 Frištenský
25358 Boskovice

25358 Boskovice
26897 Červená

26897 Červená
26986 Čáslavská

26986 Čáslavská
27132 Ježek

27132 Ježek
27344 Vesevlada

27344 Vesevlada
27960 Dobiáš

27960 Dobiáš
27974 Drejsl

27974 Drejsl
27978 Lubosluka

27978 Lubosluka
27986 Hanuš

27986 Hanuš
28019 Warchal

28019 Warchal
28107 Sapar

28107 Sapar
29419 Mládková

29419 Mládková
29456 Evakrchová

29456 Evakrchová
29471 Spejbl

29471 Spejbl
29472 Hurvínek

29472 Hurvínek
29473 Krejčí

29473 Krejčí
29484 Honzaveselý

29484 Honzaveselý
29528 Kaplinski

29528 Kaplinski
(31027) 1996 HQ1

(31027) 1996 HQ1
31324 Jiřímrázek

31324 Jiřímrázek
33058 Kovařík

33058 Kovařík
35237 Matzner

35237 Matzner
35356 Vondrák

35356 Vondrák
(35367) 1997 UW7

(35367) 1997 UW7
(35459) 1998 DG20

(35459) 1998 DG20
(36055) 1999 RP31

(36055) 1999 RP31
(36174) 1999 SW2

(36174) 1999 SW2
(36184) 1999 TQ17

(36184) 1999 TQ17
36226 Mackerras

36226 Mackerras
36235 Sergebaudo

36235 Sergebaudo
37939 Hašler

37939 Hašler
(38240) 1999 PB1

(38240) 1999 PB1
38674 Těšínsko

38674 Těšínsko
(39802) 1997 UO9

(39802) 1997 UO9
(40137) 1998 QO60

(40137) 1998 QO60
40410 Příhoda

40410 Příhoda
(40718) 1999 SU2

(40718) 1999 SU2
(41222) 1999 XH15

(41222) 1999 XH15
(41473) 2000 PU9

(41473) 2000 PU9
(44234) 1998 QE29

(44234) 1998 QE29
(44712) 1999 TJ5

(44712) 1999 TJ5
(44853) 1999 UR4

(44853) 1999 UR4
46722 Ireneadler

46722 Ireneadler
(46860) 1998 QP60

(46860) 1998 QP60
(48629) 1995 SP

(48629) 1995 SP
(48694) 1996 HP

(48694) 1996 HP
(48781) 1997 SL

(48781) 1997 SL
48782 Fierz

48782 Fierz
49110 Květafialová

49110 Květafialová
(49247) 1998 TL6

(49247) 1998 TL6
51261 Holuša

51261 Holuša
(51323) 2000 LQ8

(51323) 2000 LQ8
(52597) 1997 RM9

(52597) 1997 RM9
(52603) 1997 TV9

(52603) 1997 TV9
(52608) 1997 TM19

(52608) 1997 TM19
(53057) 1998 XZ16

(53057) 1998 XZ16
(53263) 1999 FW6

(53263) 1999 FW6
(55860) 1997 BQ6

(55860) 1997 BQ6
(58372) 1995 SQ

(58372) 1995 SQ
58440 Zdeněkstuchlík

58440 Zdeněkstuchlík
(58494) 1996 UF1

(58494) 1996 UF1
58578 Žídek

58578 Žídek
58579 Ehrenberg

58579 Ehrenberg
(58602) 1997 TG25

(58602) 1997 TG25
(58818) 1998 HE2

(58818) 1998 HE2
(59237) 1999 CF2

(59237) 1999 CF2
60000 Miminko

60000 Miminko
60001 Adélka

60001 Adélka
60008 Jarda

60008 Jarda
(63446) 2001 NV9

(63446) 2001 NV9
(63687) 2001 QH154

(63687) 2001 QH154
(67713) 2000 UF1

(67713) 2000 UF1
(69950) 1998 VW4

(69950) 1998 VW4
(70180) 1999 QM2

(70180) 1999 QM2
(70433) 1999 TS3

(70433) 1999 TS3
(70448) 1999 TS15

(70448) 1999 TS15
(70681) 1999 US4

(70681) 1999 US4
(70722) 1999 VY

(70722) 1999 VY
72447 Polińska

72447 Polińska
(73934) 1997 SO2

(73934) 1997 SO2
(74601) 1999 RK3

(74601) 1999 RK3
(79442) 1997 UX

(79442) 1997 UX
(79753) 1998 TK6

(79753) 1998 TK6
80179 Václavknoll

80179 Václavknoll
81971 Turonclavere

81971 Turonclavere
82464 Jaroslavboček

82464 Jaroslavboček
(85330) 1995 QO

(85330) 1995 QO
(85479) 1997 NF3

(85479) 1997 NF3
(85503) 1997 TF25

(85503) 1997 TF25
(85509) 1997 UY7

(85509) 1997 UY7
(85841) 1998 YR6

(85841) 1998 YR6
(90819) 1995 SN

(90819) 1995 SN
90936 Neronet

90936 Neronet
90937 Josefdufek

90937 Josefdufek
(91215) 1999 AN

(91215) 1999 AN
(91431) 1999 RQ

(91431) 1999 RQ
(91574) 1999 SV2

(91574) 1999 SV2
(91592) 1999 TU3

(91592) 1999 TU3
(91850) 1999 UN7

(91850) 1999 UN7
(92064) 1999 WA13

(92064) 1999 WA13
(92440) 2000 KG1

(92440) 2000 KG1
(94258) 2001 CZ36

(94258) 2001 CZ36
(94266) 2001 DO

(94266) 2001 DO
(96328) 1997 GC

(96328) 1997 GC
(96349) 1997 US7

(96349) 1997 US7
(96356) 1997 VH8

(96356) 1997 VH8
(96603) 1998 YH12

(96603) 1998 YH12
(98095) 2000 RQ77

(98095) 2000 RQ77
(98096) 2000 RR77

(98096) 2000 RR77
98127 Vilgusová

98127 Vilgusová
(99919) 1999 RR31

(99919) 1999 RR31
100308 ČAS

100308 ČAS
(100522) 1997 CA

(100522) 1997 CA
(101495) 1998 XJ3

(101495) 1998 XJ3
(101903) 1999 RR

(101903) 1999 RR
(102215) 1999 TR3

(102215) 1999 TR3
(102531) 1999 UP4

(102531) 1999 UP4
(106172) 2000 UF

(106172) 2000 UF
(108305) 2001 JX

(108305) 2001 JX
(108306) 2001 JZ

(108306) 2001 JZ
(108641) 2001 NU9

(108641) 2001 NU9
(118413) 1999 SP1

(118413) 1999 SP1
(119083) 2001 NT9

(119083) 2001 NT9
(120736) 1997 TA17

(120736) 1997 TA17
(120742) 1997 VW1

(120742) 1997 VW1
(121004) 1998 YQ27

(121004) 1998 YQ27
(121210) 1999 QG2

(121210) 1999 QG2
(121322) 1999 SQ1

(121322) 1999 SQ1
(122280) 2000 PQ8

(122280) 2000 PQ8
(123851) 2001 CB37

(123851) 2001 CB37
(129829) 1999 RP

(129829) 1999 RP
(129884) 1999 TB4

(129884) 1999 TB4
131181 Žebrák

131181 Žebrák
(131352) 2001 JA1

(131352) 2001 JA1
(134441) 1998 SK36

(134441) 1998 SK36
(136823) 1997 QR

(136823) 1997 QR
(137076) 1998 XK3

(137076) 1998 XK3
(137497) 1999 VH

(137497) 1999 VH
(138654) 2000 RP77

(138654) 2000 RP77
(138980) 2001 CY36

(138980) 2001 CY36
(150162) 1997 SO

(150162) 1997 SO
(150275) 1999 TR16

(150275) 1999 TR16
(152592) 1995 SK1

(152592) 1995 SK1
(152627) 1997 DF

(152627) 1997 DF
(152818) 1999 UK4

(152818) 1999 UK4
(155395) 1995 SA5

(155395) 1995 SA5
(157825) 1997 RE8

(157825) 1997 RE8
(157872) 1999 GJ6

(157872) 1999 GJ6
(160697) 2000 LB15

(160697) 2000 LB15
(162095) 1998 QC29

(162095) 1998 QC29
(162187) 1999 QR2

(162187) 1999 QR2
(162478) 2000 OT9

(162478) 2000 OT9
(164688) 1997 SO1

(164688) 1997 SO1
(171512) 1998 RP20

(171512) 1998 RP20
(173275) 1999 TQ16

(173275) 1999 TQ16
(178846) 2001 JT

(178846) 2001 JT
(181884) 1999 RS28

(181884) 1999 RS28
(181905) 1999 SR1

(181905) 1999 SR1
(187809) 1999 TS16

(187809) 1999 TS16
(189458) 1999 RO31

(189458) 1999 RO31
(190314) 1997 VU1

(190314) 1997 VU1
(190325) 1998 QQ60

(190325) 1998 QQ60
(192636) 1999 QL2

(192636) 1999 QL2
(193631) 2001 CA37

(193631) 2001 CA37
(193870) 2001 QF154

(193870) 2001 QF154
(200183) 1999 RO

(200183) 1999 RO
(200359) 2000 PB7

(200359) 2000 PB7
(202951) 1999 RE

(202951) 1999 RE
(213050) 1998 TS3

(213050) 1998 TS3
(213251) 2001 CS41

(213251) 2001 CS41
(218068) 2002 FX1

(218068) 2002 FX1
(219038) 1995 SK

(219038) 1995 SK
(234117) 1999 WZ12

(234117) 1999 WZ12
(234357) 2001 JA5

(234357) 2001 JA5
(240295) 2003 FK2

(240295) 2003 FK2
(243776) 2000 SH

(243776) 2000 SH
(246928) 1999 CV2

(246928) 1999 CV2
(246959) 1999 TV3

(246959) 1999 TV3
(269703) 1997 UR7

(269703) 1997 UR7
(270027) 2001 JS

(270027) 2001 JS
(275565) 1999 SZ9

(275565) 1999 SZ9
(279606) 2011 ER24

(279606) 2011 ER24
(280281) 2003 FF1

(280281) 2003 FF1
(282120) 2001 CU41

(282120) 2001 CU41
(285753) 2000 UE1

(285753) 2000 UE1
(322781) 2001 OD17

(322781) 2001 OD17
(344078) 1998 QB29

(344078) 1998 QB29
(350293) 2012 TX296

(350293) 2012 TX296
(366349) 1999 RQ31

(366349) 1999 RQ31
(370072) 2001 QA154

(370072) 2001 QA154
(382245) 2012 SU51

(382245) 2012 SU51
(401876) 2001 OH17

(401876) 2001 OH17
(401877) 2001 ON32

(401877) 2001 ON32
(415820) 2001 QJ154

(415820) 2001 QJ154
(422664) 1999 TP14

(422664) 1999 TP14
(455217) 2001 QD154

(455217) 2001 QD154

Lenka Kotková facts for kids

Contents

What Does an Astronomer Do?

Discovering Asteroids

Awards and Recognition

Images for kids

See also