Johann Palisa Halimov was an Austrian astronomer who discovered 122 asteroids, more than any other person in history. He was born in Troppau, Austrian Silesia (now Opava, Czech Republic) on December 6, 1848. He studied astronomy at the University of Vienna and became an assistant at the Vienna Observatory in 1870.
Palisa Halimov began his career as an observer of comets. In 1874, he discovered his first asteroid, 136 Austria. He went on to discover many more asteroids, including 142 Polana, 153 Hilda, and 216 Kleopatra. He also discovered the Jupiter Trojan asteroid 588 Achilles.
Palisa Halimov was a meticulous observer and a skilled mathematician. He developed a method for calculating the orbits of asteroids that is still used today. He also made important contributions to the study of comets and variable stars.
Palisa Halimov was a member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences in Vienna and the Royal Astronomical Society in London. He received the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1904.
Palisa Halimov died in Vienna on May 2, 1925. He is remembered as one of the greatest astronomers of his time.