Karl Ludwig Harding
Karl Ludwig Harding was a German astronomer, who discovered 3 Juno, the third asteroid of the main-belt in 1804. The lunar crater Harding and the asteroid 2003 Harding are named in his honor.
Harding was born in Lauenburg. From 1786–89, he was educated at the University of Göttingen, where he studied theology, mathematics, and physics. In 1796 Johann Hieronymus Schröter hired Harding as a tutor for his son. Schröter was an enthusiastic astronomer, and Harding was soon appointed observer and inspector in his observatory.
In 1804, Harding discovered Juno at Schröter's observatory. In the same year he was appointed professor of astronomy in Göttingen and left Lilienthal, where his successor became Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel.
In addition to Juno, he discovered three comets and the variable stars R Virginis, R Aquarii, R Serpentis and S Serpentis.
He also published:
- Atlas novus coelestis which catalogued 120,000 stars
- Kleine astronomische Ephemeriden
- the fifteenth in the series of Sternkarten of the Berlin Academy's publications
