Duncan Steel
Introduction '''Duncan I. Steel''' (born 1955) is a British space scientist. He has discovered several minor planets and has written four popular science books. He is a member of the International Astronomical Union, which lists him as working at the Xerra Earth Observation Institute in Nelson, in the South Island of New Zealand. He was formerly on the staff of the University of Salford in the United Kingdom. Steel completed a PhD at the University of Canterbury in 1984 with a thesis on the orbital characteristics of meteoroids.According to Scopus, Steel has an ''h''-index of 13.Between 1990 and 1994 he discovered twelve numbered minor planets. The asteroid 4713 Steel, discovered by Robert McNaught in 1989, is named after him.In August 2022 Steel pleaded guilty to burglary and breaching the New Zealand Harmful Digital Communications Act. He was sentenced to 12 months' house arrest and ordered to pay $3000 in reparation for emotional harm.+ Minor planets discovered: 12  5263 Arrius  13 April 1991 6828 Elbsteel  12 November 1990 9038 Helensteel  12 November 1990 9193 Geoffreycopland  10 March 1992 9758 Dainty  13 April 1991 9767 Midsomer Norton  10 March 1992 10107 Kenny  27 March 1992 16578 Essjayess  29 March 1992 24734 Kareness  10 March 1992 55815 Melindakim  31 December 1994 58196 Ashleyess  10 March 1992 69311 Russ  21 August 1992
Books * ''Rogue Asteroids and Doomsday Comets: The Search for the Million Megaton Menace That Threatens Life on Earth'' (Wiley, New York, 1995) (with a foreword by Arthur C. Clarke). *  ''Eclipse: The Celestial Phenomenon Which Changed the Course of History'' (The Joseph Henry Press, Washington D.C., 2001) (with a foreword by Paul Davies). * ''Target Earth'' (Time Life 2000; Reader's Digest 2001) (with an afterword by Arthur C. Clarke)* ''Marking Time: The Epic Quest to Invent the Perfect Calendar'' (Wiley, New York, 2000). * ''Eclipse: The Celestial Phenomenon That Changed the Course of History'' (National Academies Press, Washington DC, 2001) (with a foreword by Paul Davies).== See also == *  Space Scientist, Author & Broadcaster*  Saga of MH370*  Deducing the Mid-Flight Speed of MH370 by Brian Anderson 2015 March 20 (Document prepared 26 December 2014)
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