Named for the village Violau in Bavaria and in honor of Martin Mayer, who there directs the “Bruder-Klaus-Heim”, a Catholic educational center. Known for his enthusiastic and didactic style of teaching astronomy, Mayer has erected a well-equipped observatory to show the beauty of the universe to his guests and to the public. International Astronomical Youth Camps and conventions of the German Planetary Observers, a group of amateur astronomers, have been held in Violau. (M 12806) _ _.