1758-1840. German astronomer. A medical
doctor, Olbers was a keen amateur astronomer
and a founder member of the Celestial Police,
a group of astronomers who attempted to
locate a supposed `missing planet' between
Mars and Jupiter. During his search he
discovered two asteroids, Pallas 1802 and
Vesta 1807. Credited to him are a number of
comet discoveries, a new method of
calculating cometary orbits, and the stating
of Olbers' paradox.