Paul G. Comba Explained

Paul G. Comba
Birth Place:Tunisia
Fields:Mathematics, Computer Science, Astronomy
Workplaces:University of Hawaii, IBM Cambridge Scientific Center
Education:Ph.D.
Alma Mater:University of Turin, Bluffton College, Caltech
Thesis Title:Geometry of finite dimensional moment spaces and applications to orthogonal polynomials
Thesis Url:https://thesis.library.caltech.edu/10405/2/Comba_p_1952.pdf
Thesis Year:1952
Doctoral Advisor:Frederic Bohnenblust
Awards:Leslie C. Peltier Award (2003)
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Minor planets discovered: 690 
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Paul G. Comba (1926 – April 5, 2017) was an Italian-American computer scientist, an amateur astronomer and a prolific discoverer of minor planets.[1]

He was born in Tunisia to Italian parents in 1926, and moved to Italy at a young age. Admitted to university studies at the age of 17, He attended the University of Turin (1943–46). In 1946 he moved to the United States to attend Bluffton College, from which he graduated in 1947. He then attended Caltech, and completed his Ph.D. work in mathematics in 1951 (the degree was conferred at commencement in 1952). In 1951 he moved to Honolulu where he taught at the University of Hawaii until 1960.

He then joined IBM as a software developer, and later as a member of the IBM Cambridge Scientific Center. There he worked in Cryptography, and also developed a multiplication algorithm for large numbers, which reduces the multiplication time to as little as 3% of the conventional algorithm.[2] [3]

In 2003 he won the Leslie C. Peltier Award for his contribution to astronomy.[4]

He is the author of the Astronomical League's Asteroid Club Observing Guide,[5] and was an active member of the Prescott Astronomy Club.[6]

Prescott Observatory

Prescott Observatory
Qid:Q1861728
Coordinates Display:inline

After retirement in 1991, Comba moved to Prescott, Arizona, where he built the Prescott Observatory (obs. code: 684) There he specialized in discovering asteroids and has been recognized for the discovery of 644 numbered objects as of September 2013.

Refurbished in 2011, the observatory houses a PlaneWave CDK 24 inch telescope with two Takahashi wide field refractors in the dome. There is a dedicated solar observatory that is equipped with a Lunt 152 solar telescope. The observatory also has a nano lab for cosmology research that is currently equipped with a JEOL 5800LV SEM (scanning electron microscope). Prescott Observatory is an active contributor for the webcast organization SLOOH which is the premiere webcast organization for live celestial events. The observatory is now owned and operated by Matt Francis.

List of discovered minor planets

3 March 1997
6 August 1996
6 August 1996
25 July 1995
17 November 1996
14 December 1996
8 January 1997
1 January 1997
1 February 1997
28 April 1997
8 May 1997
12 April 1996
8 July 1997
3 July 1997
4 July 1997
29 July 1997
9 September 1997
26 March 1996
1 August 1997
15 September 1996
18 July 1996
13 October 1996
13 November 1996
31 December 1997
31 December 1997
3 December 1996
10 June 1999
14 April 1997
27 April 1998
11 October 1996
1 December 1996
15 December 1996
31 January 1997
8 March 1997
30 March 1997
10 February 1997
4 August 1997
27 April 1998
5 September 1999
19 August 1998
31 January 1997
19 April 1996
18 March 1997
30 May 1997
1 June 1997
21 May 1996
8 September 1997
6 May 1997
21 May 1996
31 October 1997
5 November 1997
7 August 1997
24 October 1997
29 April 2000
13 June 1997
27 December 1997
11 September 1999
27 April 2000
29 April 2000
9 September 1996
16 October 1996
25 October 1997
28 December 1997
27 May 1998
18 April 1999
3 July 2000
11 August 1996
10 November 1996
8 March 1997
9 September 1997
22 January 1998
6 March 1999
15 April 1999
15 December 1999
22 June 1996
16 September 1996
10 January 1997
4 February 1997
7 March 1997
20 June 1998
18 July 1996
13 February 1997
27 April 1998
13 June 1999
8 August 1999
7 May 1996
8 July 1996
13 October 1996
13 October 1996
13 December 1996
14 February 1997
28 June 1998
8 October 1996
17 January 1997
28 April 1998
15 August 1998
13 August 1999
5 September 1999
8 March 1997
6 May 1997
30 May 1997
17 May 1998
19 November 1996
8 July 1997
17 August 1998
23 August 1998
26 September 1998
4 February 1997
28 April 1997
11 June 1997
7 July 1997
28 July 1998
28 July 1998
26 August 1998
15 September 1998
26 September 1998
20 October 1998
28 December 1999
4 January 2000
6 January 2000
7 January 2000
11 June 1997
20 September 1998
20 September 1998
27 December 1998
11 April 1996
24 April 1996
11 May 1997
30 June 1997
8 July 1997
3 December 1997
26 September 1998
19 November 1998
12 April 2000
26 April 2000
30 October 1996
8 December 1996
9 July 1997
23 October 1997
7 November 1997
13 September 1999
27 February 2000
11 April 2000
29 April 2000
8 May 1997
12 August 1997
23 August 1997
30 September 1997
2 October 1997
23 November 1997
16 September 1998
15 November 1998
16 November 1998
17 November 1998
19 December 1998
21 March 1999
14 May 1999
1 May 2000
2 May 2000
2 May 2000
1 June 2000
1 June 2000
3 July 2000
5 July 2000
29 July 2001
11 June 1996
21 September 1997
27 December 1997
10 May 1999
4 October 1999
10 April 2000
13 April 2000
30 April 2000
1 August 2000
2 March 1997
20 October 1997
22 January 1998
26 February 1998
15 March 1999
16 May 1999
1 July 2000
6 July 2000
28 July 2000
5 August 2000
26 August 2000
16 September 1996
1 November 1997
29 January 1998
2 March 1998
20 May 1999
5 May 2000
5 August 2000
15 September 1996
7 November 1997
23 March 1998
24 March 1998
17 August 1998
2 October 1999
4 October 1999
12 October 1999
4 January 2000
15 September 1996
9 October 1996
2 November 1996
19 January 1998
15 July 1998
12 February 1999
18 June 1999
12 September 1999
2 October 1999
2 October 1999
25 December 1999
1 July 2000
3 July 2000
31 January 1997
23 May 1998
19 August 1998
4 January 2000
3 February 2001
23 September 1997
28 April 1998
28 May 1998
26 August 1998
4 October 1999
8 October 1999
12 October 1999
13 October 1999
4 December 1999
4 January 2000
6 February 2000
8 February 2000
5 July 2000
5 September 1997
25 July 1998
15 August 1998
17 August 1998
12 September 1998
15 October 1999
28 December 1999
12 May 1996
13 September 1996
24 July 1998
25 July 1998
17 August 1998
21 November 1998
6 April 1999
4 October 1999
2 December 1999
6 January 2000
27 January 2000
2 February 2000
10 March 2000
4 April 2000
1 November 1996
3 December 1996
28 April 1997
23 October 1997
27 October 1997
26 July 1998
20 February 1999
14 May 1999
7 February 2000
10 March 2000
10 March 2000
26 March 2000
28 April 2000
28 April 2000
28 April 2000
9 May 2000
27 May 2000
1 June 2000
4 September 2000
23 September 2000
29 July 2001
8 September 2001
18 November 1997
28 February 1998
14 December 1998
22 February 1999
17 April 1999
9 May 2000
25 May 2000
1 June 2000
3 October 2000
21 May 1996
22 June 1996
9 June 1997
16 November 1998
24 December 1998
27 December 1998
12 March 1999
15 March 1999
7 June 1999
13 September 1999
4 April 2000
3 June 2000
6 June 2000
6 June 2000
2 July 2000
5 July 2000
21 July 2000
26 July 2000
20 August 2000
5 September 2000
22 September 2000
1 December 1996
8 September 1997
3 August 1999
2 April 2000
5 April 2000
24 September 2000
14 March 2001
15 April 1996
8 October 1996
11 January 1997
11 May 1997
27 October 1997
28 April 1998
21 June 1998
15 August 1998
23 August 1998
19 September 1998
16 October 1998
19 December 1998
26 December 1998
18 September 1999
4 October 1999
15 October 1999
31 December 1999
4 January 2000
24 February 2001
23 April 2001
1 January 1997
30 June 1997
22 March 1998
28 May 1998
22 June 1998
21 July 1999
3 September 1999
1 December 1999
7 December 1999
15 December 1999
4 January 2000
10 January 2000
12 January 2000
1 February 2000
10 March 2000
29 April 2000
15 March 2001
19 March 2001
16 September 2001
30 October 1996
4 February 1997
8 May 1997
23 October 1997
17 August 1998
24 December 1998
27 December 1998
31 December 1999
12 January 2000
15 January 2000
1 February 2000
2 February 2000
2 February 2000
8 February 2000
3 March 2000
3 March 2000
11 March 2000
2 April 2000
4 April 2000
2 May 2000
4 May 2000
23 May 2000
9 June 2000
10 January 1997
31 January 1997
23 September 1997
10 March 1999
4 October 1999
6 February 2000
2 March 2000
2 April 2000
13 April 2000
24 May 2000
26 May 2000
25 June 2000
1 July 2000
16 August 2001
13 September 2001
7 May 1996
9 September 1996
18 December 1996
24 October 1997
15 August 1998
6 June 1999
4 September 1999
4 September 1999
2 October 1999
4 October 1999
9 October 1999
31 October 1999
29 February 2000
25 March 2000
28 April 2000
29 April 2000
4 July 2000
21 August 2000
22 September 2000
5 October 2000
17 March 2001
18 September 1996
8 January 1997
22 March 1998
28 May 1998
9 April 1999
16 April 1999
8 October 1999
31 October 1999
3 December 1999
15 December 1999
4 April 2000
31 May 2000
5 August 2000
5 August 2000
5 September 2000
18 November 2000
16 February 2001
25 April 2001
9 September 1996
7 October 1996
7 November 1996
1 December 1996
9 April 1997
29 October 1997
19 September 1998
24 September 1998
17 October 1998
18 October 1998
26 December 1998
12 February 1999
12 February 1999
6 March 1999
10 March 1999
9 August 1999
11 August 1999
12 August 1999
13 October 1999
11 December 1999
11 January 2000
3 February 2000
3 February 2000
6 February 2000
10 March 2000
7 April 2000
11 April 2000
9 May 2000
23 May 2000
27 May 2000
5 August 2000
31 August 2000
22 September 2000
28 November 2000
12 February 2001
16 February 2001
9 September 2001
12 September 2001
14 March 2002
9 July 1997
20 September 1998
12 January 2000
4 April 2000
1 November 1996
31 January 1997
8 August 1999
4 October 1999
15 October 1999
9 December 1999
11 December 1999
28 December 1999
30 December 1999
12 January 2000
10 March 2000
10 March 2000
9 April 2000
26 May 2000
27 July 2000
27 July 2000
3 August 2000
26 August 2000
24 July 2001
11 October 1996
20 October 1997
9 March 1999
6 February 2000
8 February 2000
2 March 2000
3 October 2000
19 March 2001
14 March 2002
17 January 1998
13 October 1999
8 February 2000
19 September 2001
18 July 1996
3 December 1996
6 February 1997
28 September 1998
6 March 1999
7 June 1999
10 October 1999
12 October 1999
4 January 2000
6 January 2000
23 September 2000
12 November 1996
5 November 1997
8 September 1999
31 May 2000
1 January 1997
28 December 1999
2 March 2000
26 August 2000
10 September 1997
8 October 1999
15 January 2000
2 February 2000
5 April 2000
3 May 2000
6 April 2000
30 July 2000
22 July 1996
5 October 1996
13 February 1997
15 August 1998
4 October 1999
24 May 2001
26 March 2000
26 August 2000
6 August 1996
24 March 2000
1 June 2000
7 November 1996
8 September 1996
6 October 1996
15 January 2000
30 July 2000
19 February 2001
9 September 1996
24 July 1998
13 December 1998
26 August 2001
8 January 1997
24 September 2000
9 August 1999
19 September 2000
24 September 2000
28 June 2003
11 January 2000
9 March 1999
16 January 2000
2 April 2000
11 April 2000
7 May 2000
31 May 2000
7 June 2000
28 December 1999
21 August 2000
28 January 2000
24 July 2001
26 March 2000
5 August 2000
14 March 2002
14 September 1999
21 August 2000
17 March 2001
3 October 1996
4 October 1999
4 October 1999
14 April 2000
25 July 2000
30 March 2000
18 March 2001
31 January 1997
12 April 2000
28 January 2000
1 February 2000
31 August 2000
12 October 1999
7 November 1996
12 October 1999
10 June 2000
28 July 2000
3 October 1996
26 August 2000
7 August 1996
4 July 2000
1 September 1997
2 March 2000
1 October 2000
5 May 2002
2 February 2000
12 February 2001
17 October 1996
25 May 2000
24 September 2000
12 February 2001
23 September 1996
30 September 1997
12 December 1999
10 January 2000
4 December 2000
15 April 2001
11 December 1999
15 December 1999
22 August 2000
18 April 2001
31 January 1997
31 October 1996
7 May 2000
24 September 2000
24 May 2001
12 June 1996
3 October 1996
27 July 2001
5 May 2002
7 May 2002
1 July 2000
6 March 1997
26 August 2000
24 September 2000
1 February 2001
3 July 2000
7 October 1996
26 March 2000
27 July 2000
21 August 2000
29 July 2000
12 December 1996
12 September 1999
14 March 2001
30 April 2000
30 October 1997
4 December 2000
12 November 1996
6 October 1996
11 November 1996
3 October 1996
18 September 1996
16 September 1999
23 May 2000
17 October 1998
1 June 1997
21 August 2000
2 September 2000
8 October 1996
26 May 2000
3 February 2001
26 August 2001
12 November 1996
4 December 1996
11 October 1999
29 May 2000
16 August 2001
5 October 2000
29 September 2003
2 February 2000
29 May 2000
30 March 2000
26 September 2003
16 September 1999
30 July 2000
15 March 2001
4 January 2001
22 July 2000
18 September 2001
important;
6 January 2000
23 April 2001
9 September 1996
2 February 2001
20 October 1998
25 July 1998
3 September 1999
25 July 1998
5 May 2000
21 September 1999
11 March 2000
28 July 2000
2 September 2000
10 May 2000
30 June 1997

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Obituary: Paul G. Comba . 14 April 2017 . The Daily Courier (Arizona).
  2. Web site: Guest Speakers. www.astroverde.org. 2018-11-02.
  3. Web site: Comba multiplication - Everything2.com. everything2.com. en. 2018-11-02.
  4. Web site: Peltier Award The Astronomical League. www.astroleague.org. en. 2018-11-02.
  5. Web site: Archived copy . 2006-07-05 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060506024144/http://www.astromax.com/aaaa/pdf/al-asteroid.pdf . 2006-05-06 .
  6. Web site: Prescott Astronomy Club. https://web.archive.org/web/20061004013432/http://www.pacorg.net/index.htm. dead. 2006-10-04. 2006-10-04. 2018-11-02.