Biography Robert Williams Is Currently Astronomer Emeritus at Space

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Prof. ROBERT WILLIAMS - Biography Robert Williams is currently Astronomer Emeritus at Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, and Distinguished Osterbrock Professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz. From 1993-98 he served as Director of the Institute, which with Goddard Space Flight Center operates Hubble Space Telescope for NASA and ESA. Before assuming his present positions Williams spent 8 years in Chile as Director of the Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory, the national observatory of the U.S. in the southern hemisphere. Prior to that time he was Professor of Astronomy at the University of Arizona in Tucson for 18 years. Dr. Williams' research specialties include novae, nebulae, and emission-line spectroscopy and analysis. Williams received his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 1962, and a Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Wisconsin in 1965. He was Senior Fulbright Professor at University College London from 1972-73, and received the Alexander von Humboldt Award from the German government in 1991. In 1998 he was awarded the Beatrice Tinsley Prize of the American Astronomical Society for his leadership of the Hubble Deep Field project, which revealed in remarkable detail the evolution of galaxies in the early universe. For this project he was awarded the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal in 1999. Dr. Williams is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, and is a Past- President of the International Astronomical Union. In 2016 he was awarded the Karl Schwarzschild Medal for career achievement in astrophysics by the German Astronomische Gesellschaft. He is a strong advocate for science education and has lectured around the world on astronomical discoveries and the importance of science in modern life. He resides in Baltimore with his wife Elaine, a pediatric psychologist who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of autism disorders, and they are co-founders of a non-profit organization in Baltimore that places adults with autism in the workplace. .

Copy Link

Recommended publications

History of Astrometry
5 Gaia web site: http://sci.esa.int/Gaia site: web Gaia 6 June 2009 June are emerging about the nature of our Galaxy. Galaxy. our of nature the about emerging are More detailed information can be found on the the on found be can information detailed More technologies developed by creative engineers. creative by developed technologies scientists all over the world, and important conclusions conclusions important and world, the over all scientists of the Universe combined with the most cutting-edge cutting-edge most the with combined Universe the of The results from Hipparcos are being analysed by by analysed being are Hipparcos from results The expression of a widespread curiosity about the nature nature the about curiosity widespread a of expression 118218 stars to a precision of around 1 milliarcsecond. milliarcsecond. 1 around of precision a to stars 118218 trying to answer for many centuries. It is the the is It centuries. many for answer to trying created with the positions, distances and motions of of motions and distances positions, the with created will bring light to questions that astronomers have been been have astronomers that questions to light bring will accuracies obtained from the ground. A catalogue was was catalogue A ground. the from obtained accuracies Gaia represents the dream of many generations as it it as generations many of dream the represents Gaia achieving an improvement of about 100 compared to to compared 100 about of improvement an achieving orbit, the Hipparcos satellite observed the whole sky, sky, whole the observed satellite Hipparcos the orbit, ear Y of them in the solar neighbourhood.
[Show full text]
Introduction to Astronomy from Darkness to Blazing Glory
Introduction to Astronomy From Darkness to Blazing Glory Published by JAS Educational Publications Copyright Pending 2010 JAS Educational Publications All rights reserved. Including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. Second Edition Author: Jeffrey Wright Scott Photographs and Diagrams: Credit NASA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, USGS, NOAA, Aames Research Center JAS Educational Publications 2601 Oakdale Road, H2 P.O. Box 197 Modesto California 95355 1-888-586-6252 Website: http://.Introastro.com Printing by Minuteman Press, Berkley, California ISBN 978-0-9827200-0-4 1 Introduction to Astronomy From Darkness to Blazing Glory The moon Titan is in the forefront with the moon Tethys behind it. These are two of many of Saturn’s moons Credit: Cassini Imaging Team, ISS, JPL, ESA, NASA 2 Introduction to Astronomy Contents in Brief Chapter 1: Astronomy Basics: Pages 1 – 6 Workbook Pages 1 - 2 Chapter 2: Time: Pages 7 - 10 Workbook Pages 3 - 4 Chapter 3: Solar System Overview: Pages 11 - 14 Workbook Pages 5 - 8 Chapter 4: Our Sun: Pages 15 - 20 Workbook Pages 9 - 16 Chapter 5: The Terrestrial Planets: Page 21 - 39 Workbook Pages 17 - 36 Mercury: Pages 22 - 23 Venus: Pages 24 - 25 Earth: Pages 25 - 34 Mars: Pages 34 - 39 Chapter 6: Outer, Dwarf and Exoplanets Pages: 41-54 Workbook Pages 37 - 48 Jupiter: Pages 41 - 42 Saturn: Pages 42 - 44 Uranus: Pages 44 - 45 Neptune: Pages 45 - 46 Dwarf Planets, Plutoids and Exoplanets: Pages 47 -54 3 Chapter 7: The Moons: Pages: 55 - 66 Workbook Pages 49 - 56 Chapter 8: Rocks and Ice:
[Show full text]
An Overview of New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics About the National Academies
2020 VISION An Overview of New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics About the National Academies The National Academies—comprising the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Research Council—work together to enlist the nation’s top scientists, engineers, health professionals, and other experts to study specific issues in science, technology, and medicine that underlie many questions of national importance. The results of their deliberations have inspired some of the nation’s most significant and lasting efforts to improve the health, education, and welfare of the United States and have provided independent advice on issues that affect people’s lives worldwide. To learn more about the Academies’ activities, check the website at www.nationalacademies.org. Copyright 2011 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America This study was supported by Contract NNX08AN97G between the National Academy of Sciences and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Contract AST-0743899 between the National Academy of Sciences and the National Science Foundation, and Contract DE-FG02-08ER41542 between the National Academy of Sciences and the U.S. Department of Energy. Support for this study was also provided by the Vesto Slipher Fund. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the agencies that provided support for the project. 2020 VISION An Overview of New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics Committee for a Decadal Survey of Astronomy and Astrophysics ROGER D.
[Show full text]
The Astronomers Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler
Ice Core Records – From Volcanoes to Supernovas The Astronomers Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler Tycho Brahe (1546-1601, shown at left) was a nobleman from Denmark who made astronomy his life's work because he was so impressed when, as a boy, he saw an eclipse of the Sun take place at exactly the time it was predicted. Tycho's life's work in astronomy consisted of measuring the positions of the stars, planets, Moon, and Sun, every night and day possible, and carefully recording these measurements, year after year. Johannes Kepler (1571-1630, below right) came from a poor German family. He did not have it easy growing Tycho Brahe up. His father was a soldier, who was killed in a war, and his mother (who was once accused of witchcraft) did not treat him well. Kepler was taken out of school when he was a boy so that he could make money for the family by working as a waiter in an inn. As a young man Kepler studied theology and science, and discovered that he liked science better. He became an accomplished mathematician and a persistent and determined calculator. He was driven to find an explanation for order in the universe. He was convinced that the order of the planets and their movement through the sky could be explained through mathematical calculation and careful thinking. Johannes Kepler Tycho wanted to study science so that he could learn how to predict eclipses. He studied mathematics and astronomy in Germany. Then, in 1571, when he was 25, Tycho built his own observatory on an island (the King of Denmark gave him the island and some additional money just for that purpose).
[Show full text]
A Needs Analysis Study of Amateur Astronomers for the National Virtual Observatory : Aaron Price1 Lou Cohen1 Janet Mattei1 Nahide Craig2
A Needs Analysis Study of Amateur Astronomers For the National Virtual Observatory : Aaron Price1 Lou Cohen1 Janet Mattei1 Nahide Craig2 1Clinton B. Ford Astronomical Data & Research Center American Association of Variable Star Observers 25 Birch St, Cambridge MA 02138 2Space Sciences Laboratory University of California, Berkeley 7 Gauss Way Berkeley, CA 94720-7450 Abstract Through a combination of qualitative and quantitative processes, a survey was con- ducted of the amateur astronomy community to identify outstanding needs which the National Virtual Observatory (NVO) could fulfill. This is the final report of that project, which was conducted by The American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) on behalf of the SEGway Project at the Center for Science Educations @ Space Sci- ences Laboratory, UC Berkeley. Background The American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) has worked on behalf of the SEGway Project at the Center for Science Educations @ Space Sciences Labo- ratory, UC Berkeley, to conduct a needs analysis study of the amateur astronomy com- munity. The goal of the study is to identify outstanding needs in the amateur community which the National Virtual Observatory (NVO) project can fulfill. The AAVSO is a non-profit, independent organization dedicated to the study of vari- able stars. It was founded in 1911 and currently has a database of over 11 million vari- able star observations, the vast majority of which were made by amateur astronomers. The AAVSO has a rich history and extensive experience working with amateur astrono- mers and specifically in fostering amateur-professional collaboration. AAVSO Director Dr. Janet Mattei headed the team assembled by the AAVSO.
[Show full text]
Gruber Foundation Formed at Yale Yale Joins Sloan Digital Sky Survey
Yale University Astronomy Department Newsletter Vol. 3 Fall 2011 No. 1 Yale joins Sloan Digital Sky Survey III Yale is now a fully participating member of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III (SDSS-III) Collaboration. Although Yale was not a member during the first two phases of SDSS, the suc- cess of SDSS and the excitement of Yale astronomers about the projects and data of SDSS-III led Yale to join now. Based on citations in refereed articles and meeting abstracts, SDSS has been rated as the telescope project with the biggest sci- entific impact in history, beating out even the Hubble Space Telescope and the Keck Telescopes (c.f. Madrid, Juan P. and Macchetto, Duccio 2009arXiv0901.4552M). The previous incarnations of SDSS have imaged 13,000 square degrees, corresponding to about a third of the en- tire sky. SDSS-III is taking spectra of interesting objects that were found in these images, through a program of four sur- veys that cover three scientific themes. The Baryon Oscil- lation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) studies dark energy and the geometry of space. (SEE SDSS-III, p. 4) SDSS-III Data Release 8 image from January 2011 Gruber Foundation formed at Yale with prizes and fellowships in astronomy and cosmology In May of 2011, Patricia and Peter Gruber officially formed the Gruber Founda- tion at Yale University, dedicated to the advancement of science, support of young scientists, global justice, and women’s rights. The Gruber Foundation at Yale will succeed The Peter and Patricia Gruber Foundation, originally estab- lished in 1993, and carry on its philanthropic mission, including its prestigious annual science prizes.
[Show full text]
Planetarian Index
Planetarian Cumulative Index 1972 – 2008 Vol. 1, #1 through Vol. 37, #3 John Mosley [email protected] The PLANETARIAN (ISSN 0090-3213) is published quarterly by the International Planetarium Society under the auspices of the Publications Committee. ©International Planetarium Society, Inc. From the Compiler I compiled the first edition of this index 25 years ago after a frustrating search to find an article that I knew existed and that I really needed. It was a long search without even annual indices to help. By the time I found it, I had run across a dozen other articles that I’d forgotten about but was glad to see again. It was clear that there are a lot of good articles buried in back issues, but that without some sort of index they’d stay lost. I had recently bought an Apple II computer and was receptive to projects that would let me become more familiar with its word processing program. A cumulative index seemed a reasonable project that would be instructive while not consuming too much time. Hah! I did learn some useful solutions to word-processing problems I hadn’t previously known exist, but it certainly did consume more time than I’d imagined by a factor of a dozen or so. You too have probably reached the point where you’ve invested so much time in a project that it’s psychologically easier to finish it than admit defeat. That’s how the first index came to be, and that’s why I’ve kept it up to date.
[Show full text]
So You Want to Be a Professional Astronomer!
SO YOU WANT TO BE A PROFESSIONAL ASTRONOMER! Exotic workplace locales, amazing discoveries, and fame (but probably not fortune) await those who persevere on the path leading to a career as a professional astronomer. by Duncan Forbes First published in Mercury, Spring 2008. Courtesy Astronomical Society of the Pacific Courtesy Gemini Observatory Wanted: Astronomer. Must be willing to work occasional nights on the top of a mountain in an exotic location. A sense of adventure and nomad- SO YOU WANT ic lifestyle is a plus. Flexible hours and casual dress code compensate for uncertain long-term career prospects y TO BE A and average pay. The opportunity for real scientific discovery awaits the right Keck ObservatorM. W. candidate. Apply now. How would you like to work here? PROFESSIONAL In many ways, professional astronomers are very fortunate. They have an opportunity to continue their passion (one that many peo- ple share) and they’re paid to do it. Some of the reasons given by PhD students for becoming an astronomer include: it’s fun and exciting, there are great opportunities for travel, it’s a cool job, and it’s possible to make significant discoveries. ASTRONOMER! Universities, observatories, government organizations, and industry employ astronomers who, contrary to popular belief, don’t spend all their waking hours at a telescope. Instead, most of their time is spent teaching, managing projects, providing support servic- (Shaun Amy, CSIRO) Amy, (Shaun es, and performing administrative duties. A typical astronomer y might spend just a week or two a year on an observing run, follow- ing by months of data analysis and article writing.
[Show full text]
The Mutable Galaxies How Galaxies Enrich with Heavy Elements
GENERAL I ARTICLE The Mutable Galaxies How Galaxies Enrich with Heavy Elements Biman Nath Biman Nath is an Soon after the discovery of the expansion of the astrophysicist at the universe, astronomers hoped to determine the Raman Research parameters of the universe by comparing dis Institute, Bangalore. tant galaxies with nearby ones. Observing dis tant galaxies, however, meant observing them as they were long ago. A crucial assumption in Keywords these studies was that galaxies hardly change, in Galaxies, evolution of stars, the time scale of the expansion of the universe. production of elements. Beatrice Tinsley was one of the first astronomers to point out that galaxies do change. Here we discuss a simplified model of galactic evolution, and show that the comparison of its prediction with observations uncovers clues to how galaxies evolve with time. A cursory look at the starry sky at night is likely to make us think that stars, galaxies and the universe are immutable and changeless. Stars and galaxies do how ever change with time. The beginning of the last century was marked by the discovery of the expansion of the uni verse and also the development of our knowledge of the evolution of stars. Yet, the overall evolution of galaxies, as a result of stellar evolution, was considered too messy, and perhaps even negligible. The study of stars told us that stars shine as a result of thermonuclear reactions inside their cores. These Beatrice Tinsley reactions synthesize heavy elements like carbon, oxy was one of the first gen, nitrogen and so forth, beginning with hydrogen astronomers to and helium (which were created in the first few minutes point out that of the birth of the universe).
[Show full text]
Women in Astronomy: an Introductory Resource Guide
Women in Astronomy: An Introductory Resource Guide by Andrew Fraknoi (Fromm Institute, University of San Francisco) [April 2019] © copyright 2019 by Andrew Fraknoi. All rights reserved. For permission to use, or to suggest additional materials, please contact the author at e-mail: fraknoi {at} fhda {dot} edu This guide to non-technical English-language materials is not meant to be a comprehensive or scholarly introduction to the complex topic of the role of women in astronomy. It is simply a resource for educators and students who wish to begin exploring the challenges and triumphs of women of the past and present. It’s also an opportunity to get to know the lives and work of some of the key women who have overcome prejudice and exclusion to make significant contributions to our field. We only include a representative selection of living women astronomers about whom non-technical material at the level of beginning astronomy students is easily available. Lack of inclusion in this introductory list is not meant to suggest any less importance. We also don’t include Wikipedia articles, although those are sometimes a good place for students to begin. Suggestions for additional non-technical listings are most welcome. Vera Rubin Annie Cannon & Henrietta Leavitt Maria Mitchell Cecilia Payne ______________________________________________________________________________ Table of Contents: 1. Written Resources on the History of Women in Astronomy 2. Written Resources on Issues Women Face 3. Web Resources on the History of Women in Astronomy 4. Web Resources on Issues Women Face 5. Material on Some Specific Women Astronomers of the Past: Annie Cannon Margaret Huggins Nancy Roman Agnes Clerke Henrietta Leavitt Vera Rubin Williamina Fleming Antonia Maury Charlotte Moore Sitterly Caroline Herschel Maria Mitchell Mary Somerville Dorrit Hoffleit Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin Beatrice Tinsley Helen Sawyer Hogg Dorothea Klumpke Roberts 6.
[Show full text]
The Springfield Telescope Makers &
The Springfield Telescope Makers & The Hartness House Inn Present A Lunar Morphology Workshop Thursday, August 5, 2010 We are pleased to offer a pre-Stellafane workshop at the historic Hartness House Inn and Porter-Hartness Museum of Telescope Making located in Springfield, Vermont, cosponsored by the Antique Telescope Society. Proceeds will go towards the purchase of a replacement furnace for the Museum, which is run by volunteers from the Springfield Telescope Makers. This year we have added an evening banquet and after- dinner speaker, Professor Peter H. Schultz from Brown University. In addition to the evening lecture, workshop speakers include: Bert Willard Charles A. Wood Thomas A. Dobbins William P. Sheehan Ronald E. Doel Richard Evans and Peter H. Schultz Reservations for a room at the Hartness House Inn can be made by calling (802) 885- 2115 or on line at www.hartnesshouse.com. ******Register Now! Space is limited!****** Mail your registration to: Dan Lorraine, Lunar Morphology Workshop Registrar, 63 Cranberry Terrace, Cranston, RI 02921-3513 Name(s): ______________________________________________________________ Address: ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ email: ________________________________________________________________ Registration (each) $75.00 ______________ Evening Banquet $50.00 ____________ Please consider making a donation for the badly needed furnace: ____ $25 ____$50 ____$75 ____Other Total Enclosed: $__________________ ******Make checks payable to John W. Briggs***** [email protected] 1 Schedule and Preliminary Agenda Please also visit the Stellafane site for additional information: http://stellafane.org/convention/2010/2010-hartnesshouse.html Lunar Morphology Workshop, Thursday, August 5, 2010 Hartness House Inn, 30 Orchard Street, Springfield, Vermont, 05156; phone 802-885-2115 Note that registration includes coffee breaks and a buffet luncheon at Hartness House.
[Show full text]
Three Editions of the Star Catalogue of Tycho Brahe*
A&A 516, A28 (2010) Astronomy DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201014002 & c ESO 2010 Astrophysics Three editions of the star catalogue of Tycho Brahe Machine-readable versions and comparison with the modern Hipparcos Catalogue F. Verbunt1 andR.H.vanGent2,3 1 Astronomical Institute, Utrecht University, PO Box 80 000, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands e-mail: [email protected] 2 URU-Explokart, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, PO Box 80 115, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands 3 Institute for the History and Foundations of Science, PO Box 80 000, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands Received 6 January 2010 / Accepted 3 February 2010 ABSTRACT Tycho Brahe completed his catalogue with the positions and magnitudes of 1004 fixed stars in 1598. This catalogue circulated in manuscript form. Brahe edited a shorter version with 777 stars, printed in 1602, and Kepler edited the full catalogue of 1004 stars, printed in 1627. We provide machine-readable versions of the three versions of the catalogue, describe the differences between them and briefly discuss their accuracy on the basis of comparison with modern data from the Hipparcos Catalogue. We also compare our results with earlier analyses by Dreyer (1916, Tychonis Brahe Dani Scripta Astronomica, Vol. II) and Rawlins (1993, DIO, 3, 1), finding good overall agreement. The magnitudes given by Brahe correlate well with modern values, his longitudes and latitudes have error distributions with widths of 2, with excess numbers of stars with larger errors (as compared to Gaussian distributions), in particular for the faintest stars. Errors in positions larger than 10, which comprise about 15% of the entries, are likely due to computing or copying errors.
[Show full text]