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==In the media==
==In the media==
He is featured on History Channel's "[[The Universe (TV series)|The Universe]]" programs.
* He is featured on History Channel's "[[The Universe (TV series)|The Universe]]" programs.
* He was interviewed by [[Planetary Radio]] at least three times.

* He appeared in the PBS Nova episode "Hunt for Alien Worlds" originally airing in Feb. 1997
He was interviewed by [[Planetary Radio]] at least three times.


==Research Achievements==
==Research Achievements==

Revision as of 18:14, 16 January 2013

Geoffrey Marcy
Born (1954-09-29) September 29, 1954 (age 69)
NationalityAmerican
Alma materUniversity of California, Los Angeles (B.A.)
University of California, Santa Cruz (Ph.D.)
Known forExtrasolar planet discoveries
AwardsHenry Draper Medal (2001)
Shaw Prize (2005)
Scientific career
FieldsAstronomy, Astrophysics
InstitutionsCarnegie Institution for Science
San Francisco State University
University of California, Berkeley
Doctoral advisorSteven S. Vogt [1]

Geoffrey W. Marcy (born September 29, 1954, St. Clair Shores, Michigan) is an American astronomer, who is currently Professor of Astronomy at the University of California, Berkeley, famous for discovering more extrasolar planets than anyone else, 70 out of the first 100 to be discovered, along with R. Paul Butler and Debra Fischer.[2]

Background

Marcy graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Summa Cum Laude with a double major in physics and astronomy from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1976. He then completed a Doctor of Philosophy in Astrophysics and Astronomy in 1982 at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

He has held teaching positions, first at the Carnegie Institution of Washington as a Carnegie Fellow from 1982 to 1984. Marcy then worked as an Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy from 1984 to 1996 and then as a Distinguished University Professor from 1997 to 1999 at the San Francisco State University. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the San Francisco State University and a Professor of Astronomy at the University of California, Berkeley and the Director of Center for Integrative Planetary Science.

Astronomy career

In the early 1980s, his research into stellar magnetic fields had reached a dead end.

Marcy confirmed Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz's discovery of the first extrasolar planet orbiting a Sun-like star—51 Pegasi b. Other achievements have included discovering the first multiple planet system around a star similar to our own (Upsilon Andromedae), the first transiting planet around another star (HD209458b), the first extrasolar planet orbiting beyond 5 AU (55 Cancri d), and the first Neptune-sized planets (Gliese 436b and 55 Cancri e). As of June 8, 2012, Marcy is the Watson and Marilyn Alberts Chair for SETI at the University of California at Berkeley.[3]

In the media

  • He is featured on History Channel's "The Universe" programs.
  • He was interviewed by Planetary Radio at least three times.
  • He appeared in the PBS Nova episode "Hunt for Alien Worlds" originally airing in Feb. 1997

Research Achievements

  • Made First Zeeman Measurements of Magnetic Fields for Solar-Type Stars
  • Found Paucity of Brown Dwarfs Orbiting Stars (The Brown Dwarf Desert)
  • Developed Method of Precise Doppler Measurements (3 meter/sec)
  • Discovered 70 of first 100 Extrasolar Planets Known
  • Found Evidence that Solar System May be Peculiar (Circular vs Eccentric Orbits)
  • Discovered First System of Planets Around a Sun-Like Star (Upsilon And)
  • Discovered First Transiting Planet Around another Star (HD209458)
  • Discovered First Candidate Saturn-Mass Planets (HD46375, HD16141)
  • Discovered First Extrasolar Planet Orbiting Beyond 5 AU (55 Cancri d)
  • Co-Discovered First Neptune-Sized Planets: Gliese 436b and 55 Cancri e

Honors

On October 28, 2006 he received an honorary doctorate in science from the University of Delaware.

On June 9, 2012 he received an honorary doctorate in science from The University of Chicago.

Personal

Marcy lives with his wife Susan Kegley in California.

See also

References

  1. ^ Tim Stephens (September 4, 2007). "Major gift supports crucial piece of Automated Planet Finder". University of California, Santa Cruz. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
  2. ^ Lemonick, Michael (Dec. 16, 2009). "Super-Earth: Astronomers Find a Watery New Planet". Time Magazine. Retrieved 17 December 2009. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ Dvorsky, George (June 8, 2012). "Meet SETI's new boss: Geoff Marcy, the planet hunter". Retrieved June 14, 2012.
  4. ^ "Henry Draper Medal". National Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 24 February 2011.
  5. ^ "Sagan Prize Recipients". wonderfest.org. 2011 [last update]. Retrieved September 10, 2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  6. ^ "Book of Members, 1780–2010: Chapter A" (PDF). American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 13 April 2011.


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