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Édouard Jean-Marie Stephan (August 31 1837 – December 31 1923) was a French astronomer. His surname is sometimes spelled Stéphan in the literature, but this is apparently erroneous.
He was the longtime director of the Marseille Observatory, from 1867 to 1907.
He unsuccessfully attempted to use astronomical interferometry to determine apparent diameters of stars.
He specialized in nebulas. Among others, he discovered Stephan's Quintet, also known as "Arp 319", a group of five galaxies.
His name is associated with the periodic comet 38P/Stephan-Oterma, although Jérôme Coggia saw it first.
Obituary
- JO 7 (1924) 9 (http://adsabs.harvard.edu//full/seri/JO.../0007//0000009.000.html) (in French)
| 89 Julia | August 6 1866 |
| 91 Aegina | November 4 1866 |