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|+ Minor planets discovered: 687

Biography

Bickel studied electrical engineering at RWTH Aachen University and finished his studies in 1969. He became enthusiastic about astronomy, when he received a celestial chart and Galilean binoculars as a gift from his grandmother at the age of 16. Bickel began to grind parabolic mirrors to build his own telescopes. In 1995, he built a 0.6-meter aperture telescope and discovered his first minor planet, the main-belt asteroid the same year. He still uses this self-made telescope as of today.

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  • Bickel overtakes Börgen as most successful discoverer of minor planets, (German), VdS-Journal Nr. 47