Dimitar Sasselov
Encyclopedia
Dimitar D. Sasselov (b. 1961) is a Bulgarian
astronomer
based in the United States
. He is a Professor of Astronomy at Harvard University
and director of the Harvard Origins of Life Initiative. In 2002, Sasselov led a team that discovered the most distant planet in the Milky Way
known at the time.
Sasselov was born in Sofia
, the capital of Bulgaria
, to a scientific family. His father was an archaeologist and his mother was a horticulturist. He developed a liking for astronomy at an early age and would observe the moons of Jupiter by means of a small telescope
. Sasselov finished a primary school in Nesebar
and a high school in Burgas
.
In the 1980s, Sasselov continued his study of astronomy at the Sofia University
's Faculty of Physics. After he published a paper in international scientific journal
s, he was invited by the University of Toronto
, who offered him a scholarship. However, Sasselov was not granted an exit visa by the Bulgarian authorities. He acquired a doctorate in physics from Sofia University in 1988; shortly thereafter, with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the communist regimes in Eastern Europe, Sasselov had the chance to eventually continue his work at the University of Toronto. In 1990, he earned his doctorate in astronomy there.
In 1991, Sasselov joined the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. He has been a Harvard professor since 1998. In 2002, Sasselov and his team sighted OGLE-TR-56b
, a planet in the constellation Sagittarius
that was the farthest planet from the Earth
discovered until then. In his search for planets, he employs novel methods that can potentially detect planets similar to Earth, and he co-operates with NASA
's Kepler Mission
. Sasselov's other research focuses on the interaction between radiation
and matter
.
Bulgarians
The Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...
astronomer
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
based in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He is a Professor of Astronomy at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and director of the Harvard Origins of Life Initiative. In 2002, Sasselov led a team that discovered the most distant planet in the Milky Way
Milky Way
The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains the Solar System. This name derives from its appearance as a dim un-resolved "milky" glowing band arching across the night sky...
known at the time.
Sasselov was born in Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
, the capital of Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, to a scientific family. His father was an archaeologist and his mother was a horticulturist. He developed a liking for astronomy at an early age and would observe the moons of Jupiter by means of a small telescope
Telescope
A telescope is an instrument that aids in the observation of remote objects by collecting electromagnetic radiation . The first known practical telescopes were invented in the Netherlands at the beginning of the 1600s , using glass lenses...
. Sasselov finished a primary school in Nesebar
Nesebar
Nesebar is an ancient town and one of the major seaside resorts on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, located in Burgas Province. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Nesebar Municipality...
and a high school in Burgas
Burgas
-History:During the rule of the Ancient Romans, near Burgas, Debeltum was established as a military colony for veterans by Vespasian. In the Middle Ages, a small fortress called Pyrgos was erected where Burgas is today and was most probably used as a watchtower...
.
In the 1980s, Sasselov continued his study of astronomy at the Sofia University
Sofia University
The St. Clement of Ohrid University of Sofia or Sofia University is the oldest higher education institution in Bulgaria, founded on 1 October 1888...
's Faculty of Physics. After he published a paper in international scientific journal
Scientific journal
In academic publishing, a scientific journal is a periodical publication intended to further the progress of science, usually by reporting new research. There are thousands of scientific journals in publication, and many more have been published at various points in the past...
s, he was invited by the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, who offered him a scholarship. However, Sasselov was not granted an exit visa by the Bulgarian authorities. He acquired a doctorate in physics from Sofia University in 1988; shortly thereafter, with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the communist regimes in Eastern Europe, Sasselov had the chance to eventually continue his work at the University of Toronto. In 1990, he earned his doctorate in astronomy there.
In 1991, Sasselov joined the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. He has been a Harvard professor since 1998. In 2002, Sasselov and his team sighted OGLE-TR-56b
OGLE-TR-56b
OGLE-TR-56b is an extrasolar planet located approximately 1500 parsecs away in the constellation of Sagittarius, orbiting the star OGLE-TR-56...
, a planet in the constellation Sagittarius
Sagittarius (constellation)
Sagittarius is a constellation of the zodiac, the one containing the galactic center. Its name is Latin for the archer, and its symbol is , a stylized arrow. Sagittarius is commonly represented as a centaur drawing a bow...
that was the farthest planet from the Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
discovered until then. In his search for planets, he employs novel methods that can potentially detect planets similar to Earth, and he co-operates with NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
's Kepler Mission
Kepler Mission
The Kepler spacecraft is an American space observatory, the space-based portion of NASA's Kepler Mission to discover Earth-like planets orbiting other stars. The spacecraft is named in honor of the 17th-century German astronomer Johannes Kepler...
. Sasselov's other research focuses on the interaction between radiation
Radiation
In physics, radiation is a process in which energetic particles or energetic waves travel through a medium or space. There are two distinct types of radiation; ionizing and non-ionizing...
and matter
Matter
Matter is a general term for the substance of which all physical objects consist. Typically, matter includes atoms and other particles which have mass. A common way of defining matter is as anything that has mass and occupies volume...
.