Scienceאילן מנוליס

Ilan Manulis

Ilan Manulis is an Israeli astronomer who studies asteroids, especially near-Earth objects, and directs the Weizmann Institute of Science observatory.

born 1949Research on near-Earth asteroidsWeizmann Institute observatory directorAsteroid 13615 Manulis

Born: 16 September 1949
Occupation: astronomer, astrophysicist

Ilan Manulis was born in 1949

Ilan Manulis was born on September 16, 1949. He is an Israeli astronomer who specializes in asteroids, in particular near-Earth objects whose orbits cross the orbit of Earth.

Manulis once worked as a manager in high-tech companies. From 1984 to 1987 he chaired the Israeli Astronomical Association and ran the Givatayim Observatory. He later headed the association's division for research on small bodies in the solar system.

In 2004 he was in charge of setting up a 46 cm telescope at the Wise Observatory in Mitzpe Ramon, used by a Tel Aviv University program. He directed the Technoda observatory in Givat Olga for 3 years. In 2010 he founded the Weizmann Institute of Science observatory, which has a 41 cm robotic telescope, and he serves as its director.

Much of his work has aimed at spreading astronomical knowledge in Israel. Since 1995 he has focused on explaining the danger that asteroid and comet impacts pose to life on Earth. He is the first Israeli to have an asteroid named after him, 13615 Manulis, discovered in 1994.