David L. Rabinowitz

David Lincoln Rabinowitz (born 1960) is a researcher at Yale University. He has built CCD cameras and software for the detection of near-Earth asteroids and Kuiper Belt Objects, and his research has helped reduce the assumed number of near-Earth asteroids by half, from 1,000-2,000 to 500-1,000 He has also assisted in the detection of distant solar system objects, supernovae, and quasars, thereby helping to understand the origin and evolution of the solar system and the dark energy driving the accelerated expansion of the universe.

Collaborating with Michael E. Brown and Chad Trujillo of the Quasar Equatorial Survey Team, he has participated in the discovery of several TNOs, among them:

• 90377 Sedna - possibly the first known inner Oort cloud object.
• 90482 Orcus
• Eris - a dwarf planet larger than Pluto.

although he would not get credit for Haumea. The final three were discovered on the same day.

Together with Tom Gehrels of the University of Arizona and his Spacewatch Team, Rabinowitz co-discovered one other astronomical object:

• 5145 Pholus

Notes