Astronomy/Expert Profile

Expertise

I have forty years of experience in Astronomy, specifically solar and space physics. My specialties include the physics of solar flares, sunspots, including their effects on Earth and statistics as applied to astronomical investigations.

Experience in the area

Astronomy: more than forty years experience starting with construction of my own simple telescopes. Worked at university observatory in college, doing astrographic measurements. M.Phil. degree in Physics/Solar Physics and more than ten years as researcher.

What do you like about this subject?

The extent and breadth in the cosmic perspective, and basically 'putting humans in their proper place', disabusing them of an exaggerated sense of self-importance.

What do you still hope to achieve/learn in this field?

To achieve: a computer program that can profile different double layer conditions for solar flares. To learn: anything that I haven't already.

Something interesting about this subject that others may not know:

The discovery of Pluto was a pure fluke based on in error in (Percival) Lowell's calculations. (The mass of Pluto was taken to be 6.6 x the Earth's!)It just turned out that Pluto was where Lowell predicted it was- but his calculations were totally wrong! The right result, for the wrong reason.

Something controversial or provocative about this subject

Giordano Bruno was burnt at the stake for daring to speculate that life could exist on other worlds, and writing about it.