their expertise. The 'Astronomy Days' in Falera are now among the most popular meetings of amateur astronomers from all over Switzerland and neighbouring countries. From 13 to 16 September 2012, the meeting was held for the eleventh time. The construction of the observatory Sternwarte Mirasteilas above Falera also goes back to the initiative of De Queiroz. It is equipped with a 90-centimeter Cassegrain reflector, the largest reflecting telescope of all private observatories in Switzerland. Inaugurated in summer 2007, Mirasteilas is the largest publicly accessible observatory in Switzerland . In recognition of his services for Falera, the municipality granted José De Queiroz local citizenship 9 June 2009. Minor planet discoveries De Queiroz discovered the first minor planet on 18 March 2009; the last to date (with the provisional designation GP75) he photographed in the night from 13 to 14 April 2010. Such findings are reported to the Minor Planet Centre of the International Astronomical Union, where the data of all the minor planets, asteroids and comets are collected and reviewed. José De Queiroz discovered so far 62 asteroids; three of which have received a name: in autumn 2009, he discovered with the large telescope three unknown asteroids that were named Falera, Chur and Marcia (the latter named after his daughter). Another asteroid (72042), discovered by his astronomer friend Stefano Sposetti of the observatory Gnosca in the canton of Ticino, was baptized by the discoverer in the name of Dequeiroz. Since the autumn of 2012, De Queiroz has been busy with stellar occultation. Together with other amateur astronomers, including Stefano Sposetti from the Ticino and the Austrian Gerhard Dangl, he covers transit data, documenting diameter, shape and orbit of asteroids. References External links Sternwarte Mirasteilas NZZ, german 5. November 2012 José De Queiroz in Swiss TV 1954 births 21st-century Swiss astronomers Discoverers of asteroids Living people 20th-century Swiss astronomers