Michiel Daniel Overbeek

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Michiel Daniel Overbeek (15 September 1920 in

Ermelo, Mpumalanga, South Africa – 19 July 2001 in Johannesburg), also known as Danie Overbeek, was a South African amateur astronomer and one of the most prolific variable star observers.[1][2]

Life

He studied in a Mining and Metallurgy program at the

South African Railways.[1]

In 1945, he married Jean Mary Preddy, with whom he had four children. She died in 1985.[3]

Astronomy

Daniel Overbeek's serious interest in astronomy dates back to 1951, when he started observing occultations and variable stars. In 1958 he earned a B.Sc. degree in mathematics and astronomy from the University of South Africa.[2] During his lifetime, he contributed 287,240 observations to the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) International Database, becoming the most prolific AAVSO contributor.[4]

In 1998, he became the first amateur astronomer who detected

seismograph he had built, and observed sudden ionospheric disturbance.[4]

Acknowledgement

In 1956, Overbeek became the chairman of the Transvaal Centre of the

Gill Medal, the highest ASSA honour.[3]

The American Association of Variable Star Observers awarded him with the Merit Award in 1986 and the Director's Award in 1994. He was also a multiple AAVSO Observer awardee: in 1994 for making 100,000 variable star observations, in 1997 for 200,000 and in 1999 for 250,000 observations.[4]

In 1995, he received the Christos Papadopoulos Trophy of the Transvaal Centre of the ASSA.

5038 Overbeek was named in his honour in 2000.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c Mattei, Janet A.; Fraser, Brian (2002). "Michiel Daniel Overbeek, 1920–2001" (PDF). Journal of the American Association of Variable Star Observers (2002/31): 65–68.
  2. ^ a b c "Overbeek, Michiel Daniel". Astronomical Society of Southern Africa. Archived from the original on 24 December 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2007.
  3. ^ a b "Michiel Daniel Overbeek". Canopus, the Monthly Journal of the Johannesburg Centre of the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa (98/10). 1998. Archived from the original on 23 September 2006.
  4. ^ a b c "Michiel Daniel (Danie) Overbeek, 1920 – 2001". American Association of Variable Star Observers. Archived from the original on 6 April 2007. Retrieved 16 August 2007.
  5. ^ "Past Amateur Achievement winners". Astronomical Society of the Pacific. Retrieved 16 August 2007.
  6. ^ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser - 5038 Overbeek (1948 KF)". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 16 August 2007.
Preceded by
Amateur Achievement Award of Astronomical Society of the Pacific

1996 		Succeeded by
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