Hendrik van Gent (14 September 1899, Pernis – March 29, 1947, Amsterdam )[ 2] astronomer .
He moved to South Africa in 1928 in order to observe the southern sky at the Leiden Southern Station and the Union Observatory in Johannesburg . He obtained his PhD from Leiden University in 1931. He studied variable stars and also discovered three comets , namely C/1941 K1 , C/1944 K2 and C/1943 W1 .[ 3] [ 4] [ 5] Minor Planet Center credits him with the discovery of 39 numbered minor planets during 1929–1935.[ 1]
He died of a heart attack at the age of 47 while on leave in the Netherlands . The crater Van Gent far side of the Moon, and the asteroid 1666 van Gent are named after him.[ 6]
List of discovered minor planets 1132 Hollandia September 13, 1929 1133 Lugduna September 13, 1929 1165 Imprinetta April 24, 1930 1225 Ariane April 23, 1930 1226 Golia April 22, 1930 1267 Geertruida April 23, 1930 1336 Zeelandia September 9, 1934 1337 Gerarda September 9, 1934 1342 Brabantia February 13, 1935 1353 Maartje February 13, 1935 1383 Limburgia September 9, 1934 1384 Kniertje September 9, 1934 1385 Gelria May 24, 1935 1389 Onnie September 28, 1935 1666 van Gent July 22, 1930
1667 Pels September 16, 1930 1670 Minnaert September 9, 1934 1686 De Sitter September 28, 1935 1689 Floris-Jan September 16, 1930 1693 Hertzsprung May 5, 1935 1694 Kaiser September 29, 1934 1738 Oosterhoff September 16, 1930 1752 van Herk July 22, 1930 1753 Mieke May 10, 1934 1879 Broederstroom October 16, 1935 1914 Hartbeespoortdam September 28, 1930 1925 Franklin-Adams September 9, 1934 1945 Wesselink July 22, 1930 1946 Walraven August 8, 1931 1986 Plaut September 28, 1935
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