Jay Pasachoff
Encyclopedia
Jay Myron Pasachoff is an American
astronomer
. Pasachoff is Field Memorial Professor of Astronomy at Williams College
and the author
of textbooks and tradebooks in astronomy
, physics
, mathematics
, and other sciences.
in 1963, his master's degree
in 1965, and his doctorate
in 1969. He worked at the Harvard College Observatory
and Caltech before going to Williams College
in 1972. His sabbaticals and other leaves have been at the University of Hawaii
’s Institute for Astronomy, the Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris
, the Institute for Advanced Study
in Princeton, New Jersey
, the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
, and most recently at Caltech.
, and reports on those activities in writing his texts. Pasachoff is especially known for his scientific work at total solar eclipse
s. The total solar eclipse of 22 July 2009, was his 49th and the annular solar eclipse of 15 January 2010, was his 50th; the total solar eclipse of 11 July 2010 was his 51st. He has championed the continued contemporary scientific value of solar-eclipse research. His research has been sponsored by the National Science Foundation
, NASA
, and the National Geographic Society
. He is Chair of the Working Group on Eclipses of the International Astronomical Union
and of a Program Group on Public Education at the Times of Solar Eclipses. His solar work also includes studies of the solar
chromosphere
, backed by NASA grants, using NASA spacecraft and the Swedish Solar Telescope
on La Palma
, Canary Islands
, Spain
. He has collaborated with a professor of art history, Roberta J. M. Olson of the New-York Historical Society
, on astronomical images in the art of Renaissance Italy
and of Great Britain
.
Pasachoff received the 2003 Education Prize of the American Astronomical Society
, "For his eloquent and informative writing of textbooks from junior high through college, For his devotion to teaching generations of students, For sharing with the world the joys of observing eclipses, For his many popular books and articles on astronomy, For his intense advocacy on behalf of science education in various forums, For his willingness to go into educational nooks where no astronomer has gone before, the AAS Education Prize is awarded to Jay M. Pasachoff." Asteroid 5100 Pasachoff
recognizes Pasachoff's astronomical accomplishments. In addition to his college astronomy texts, Pasachoff has written a field guide to the stars and planets, and is author or coauthor of textbooks in calculus and in physics, as well as several junior-high-school textbooks.
He is a collaborator, backed by NASA grants, with a group of scientists from Williams College and MIT observing the atmospheres of outer planet
s and their moon
s, including Pluto
, its moon Charon
, Neptune
’s moon Triton
, and other objects in the outer solar system
. He also makes radio astronomy
observations of the interstellar medium, concentrating on deuterium
and its cosmological implications.
Pasachoff has been active in educational and curriculum matters. He is U.S. National Liaison to and was President (2003–2006) of the Commission on Education and Development of the International Astronomical Union
, has twice been Chair of the Astronomy Division of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
, and has been on the astronomy committees of the American Astronomical Society
(and its representative 2004-2013 to the AAAS), the American Physical Society
, and the American Association of Physics Teachers
. He is on the Council of Advisors of the Astronomy Education Review. He has spearheaded a discussion of what should be taught in astronomy courses, championing the position of including and emphasizing contemporary astronomy. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society, the International Planetarium Society
, the American Association for the Advancement of Science
, Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, and the Royal Astronomical Society
, and he has held a Getty Fellowship. He has lectured widely, including a stint as a Sigma Xi
Distinguished Lecturer. He is also Director of the Hopkins Observatory and past and current (2010-2013) Chair of the Astronomy Department at Williams.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
. Pasachoff is Field Memorial Professor of Astronomy at Williams College
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
and the author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
of textbooks and tradebooks in astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
, physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, and other sciences.
Biography
Pasachoff studied at Harvard, receiving his bachelor's degreeBachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in 1963, his master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in 1965, and his doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in 1969. He worked at the Harvard College Observatory
Harvard College Observatory
The Harvard College Observatory is an institution managing a complex of buildings and multiple instruments used for astronomical research by the Harvard University Department of Astronomy. It is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, and was founded in 1839...
and Caltech before going to Williams College
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
in 1972. His sabbaticals and other leaves have been at the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
’s Institute for Astronomy, the Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris
Institut d'astrophysique de Paris
The Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris is a research institute of the CNRS, located at 98bis, Boulevard Arago in Paris, France.Among its research priorities, there are strong groups involved in extragalactic astronomy and physical cosmology....
, the Institute for Advanced Study
Institute for Advanced Study
The Institute for Advanced Study, located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States, is an independent postgraduate center for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry. It was founded in 1930 by Abraham Flexner...
in Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
, the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
The Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics is one of the largest and most diverse astrophysical institutions in the world, where scientists carry out a broad program of research in astronomy, astrophysics, earth and space sciences, and science education...
, and most recently at Caltech.
Work
Pasachoff observes with a wide variety of ground-based telescopes and spacecraftSpacecraft
A spacecraft or spaceship is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and transportation of humans and cargo....
, and reports on those activities in writing his texts. Pasachoff is especially known for his scientific work at total solar eclipse
Solar eclipse
As seen from the Earth, a solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, and the Moon fully or partially blocks the Sun as viewed from a location on Earth. This can happen only during a new moon, when the Sun and the Moon are in conjunction as seen from Earth. At least...
s. The total solar eclipse of 22 July 2009, was his 49th and the annular solar eclipse of 15 January 2010, was his 50th; the total solar eclipse of 11 July 2010 was his 51st. He has championed the continued contemporary scientific value of solar-eclipse research. His research has been sponsored by the National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
, 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...
, and the National Geographic Society
National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society , headquartered in Washington, D.C. in the United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its interests include geography, archaeology and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical...
. He is Chair of the Working Group on Eclipses of the International Astronomical Union
International Astronomical Union
The International Astronomical Union IAU is a collection of professional astronomers, at the Ph.D. level and beyond, active in professional research and education in astronomy...
and of a Program Group on Public Education at the Times of Solar Eclipses. His solar work also includes studies of the solar
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
chromosphere
Chromosphere
The chromosphere is a thin layer of the Sun's atmosphere just above the photosphere, roughly 2,000 kilometers deep....
, backed by NASA grants, using NASA spacecraft and the Swedish Solar Telescope
Swedish Solar Telescope
The Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope is a refracting solar telescope at Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, La Palma in the Canary Islands. It is run by the Institute for Solar Physics of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. The primary element is a single fused silica lens, making it the second...
on La Palma
La Palma
La Palma is the most north-westerly of the Canary Islands. La Palma has an area of 706 km2 making it the fifth largest of the seven main Canary Islands...
, Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. He has collaborated with a professor of art history, Roberta J. M. Olson of the New-York Historical Society
New-York Historical Society
The New-York Historical Society is an American history museum and library located in New York City at the corner of 77th Street and Central Park West in Manhattan. Founded in 1804 as New York's first museum, the New-York Historical Society presents exhibitions, public programs and research that...
, on astronomical images in the art of Renaissance Italy
Italian Renaissance painting
Italian Renaissance painting is the painting of the period beginning in the late 13th century and flourishing from the early 15th to late 16th centuries, occurring within the area of present-day Italy, which was at that time divided into many political areas...
and of Great Britain
Art of the United Kingdom
The Art of the United Kingdom refers to all forms of visual art in or associated with the United Kingdom since its formation in 1707. For earlier periods, and some more detailed information on the post-1707 period, see English art, Scottish art, Welsh art and Irish art...
.
Pasachoff received the 2003 Education Prize of the American Astronomical Society
American Astronomical Society
The American Astronomical Society is an American society of professional astronomers and other interested individuals, headquartered in Washington, DC...
, "For his eloquent and informative writing of textbooks from junior high through college, For his devotion to teaching generations of students, For sharing with the world the joys of observing eclipses, For his many popular books and articles on astronomy, For his intense advocacy on behalf of science education in various forums, For his willingness to go into educational nooks where no astronomer has gone before, the AAS Education Prize is awarded to Jay M. Pasachoff." Asteroid 5100 Pasachoff
5100 Pasachoff
5100 Pasachoff is an asteroid. It was named after Professor Jay Pasachoff in 1993 by E. Bowell, the discoverer .- Data :For 5100 Pasachoff* semimajor axis: 2.46973814 A.U.* eccentricity: 0.1351385* inclination: 7.73827 deg.* period: 3.88 years...
recognizes Pasachoff's astronomical accomplishments. In addition to his college astronomy texts, Pasachoff has written a field guide to the stars and planets, and is author or coauthor of textbooks in calculus and in physics, as well as several junior-high-school textbooks.
He is a collaborator, backed by NASA grants, with a group of scientists from Williams College and MIT observing the atmospheres of outer planet
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
s and their moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
s, including Pluto
Pluto
Pluto, formal designation 134340 Pluto, is the second-most-massive known dwarf planet in the Solar System and the tenth-most-massive body observed directly orbiting the Sun...
, its moon Charon
Charon (moon)
Charon is the largest satellite of the dwarf planet Pluto. It was discovered in 1978 at the United States Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station. Following the 2005 discovery of two other natural satellites of Pluto , Charon may also be referred to as Pluto I...
, Neptune
Neptune
Neptune is the eighth and farthest planet from the Sun in the Solar System. Named for the Roman god of the sea, it is the fourth-largest planet by diameter and the third largest by mass. Neptune is 17 times the mass of Earth and is slightly more massive than its near-twin Uranus, which is 15 times...
’s moon Triton
Triton (moon)
Triton is the largest moon of the planet Neptune, discovered on October 10, 1846, by English astronomer William Lassell. It is the only large moon in the Solar System with a retrograde orbit, which is an orbit in the opposite direction to its planet's rotation. At 2,700 km in diameter, it is...
, and other objects in the outer solar system
Solar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
. He also makes radio astronomy
Radio astronomy
Radio astronomy is a subfield of astronomy that studies celestial objects at radio frequencies. The initial detection of radio waves from an astronomical object was made in the 1930s, when Karl Jansky observed radiation coming from the Milky Way. Subsequent observations have identified a number of...
observations of the interstellar medium, concentrating on deuterium
Deuterium
Deuterium, also called heavy hydrogen, is one of two stable isotopes of hydrogen. It has a natural abundance in Earth's oceans of about one atom in of hydrogen . Deuterium accounts for approximately 0.0156% of all naturally occurring hydrogen in Earth's oceans, while the most common isotope ...
and its cosmological implications.
Pasachoff has been active in educational and curriculum matters. He is U.S. National Liaison to and was President (2003–2006) of the Commission on Education and Development of the International Astronomical Union
International Astronomical Union
The International Astronomical Union IAU is a collection of professional astronomers, at the Ph.D. level and beyond, active in professional research and education in astronomy...
, has twice been Chair of the Astronomy Division of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
, and has been on the astronomy committees of the American Astronomical Society
American Astronomical Society
The American Astronomical Society is an American society of professional astronomers and other interested individuals, headquartered in Washington, DC...
(and its representative 2004-2013 to the AAAS), the American Physical Society
American Physical Society
The American Physical Society is the world's second largest organization of physicists, behind the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft. The Society publishes more than a dozen scientific journals, including the world renowned Physical Review and Physical Review Letters, and organizes more than 20...
, and the American Association of Physics Teachers
American Association of Physics Teachers
The American Association of Physics Teachers was founded in 1930 for the purpose of "dissemination of knowledge of physics, particularly by way of teaching." There are more than 10,000 members that reside in over 30 countries. AAPT publications include two peer-reviewed journals, the American...
. He is on the Council of Advisors of the Astronomy Education Review. He has spearheaded a discussion of what should be taught in astronomy courses, championing the position of including and emphasizing contemporary astronomy. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society, the International Planetarium Society
International Planetarium Society
The International Planetarium Society is the largest organization of professional planetarians in the world. It includes members from almost every continent and over twenty affiliate organizations. The IPS publishes a quarterly journal, The Planetarian, and holds a convention in even numbered...
, the American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
, Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, and the Royal Astronomical Society
Royal Astronomical Society
The Royal Astronomical Society is a learned society that began as the Astronomical Society of London in 1820 to support astronomical research . It became the Royal Astronomical Society in 1831 on receiving its Royal Charter from William IV...
, and he has held a Getty Fellowship. He has lectured widely, including a stint as a Sigma Xi
Sigma Xi
Sigma Xi: The Scientific Research Society is a non-profit honor society which was founded in 1886 at Cornell University by a junior faculty member and a handful of graduate students. Members elect others on the basis of their research achievements or potential...
Distinguished Lecturer. He is also Director of the Hopkins Observatory and past and current (2010-2013) Chair of the Astronomy Department at Williams.
Selected publications
- The Solar Corona, 2nd Edition, co-authored with Leon Golub (Cambridge University PressCambridge University PressCambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
, 2009) ISBN 978-0-521-88201-9) - Innovation in Astronomy Education, co-edited with Rosa M. Ros and Naomi Pasachoff (Cambridge University Press, 2008) ISBN 978-0-521-88015-2
- Peterson Field Guide to the Stars and Planets (Houghton MifflinHoughton MifflinHoughton Mifflin Harcourt is an educational and trade publisher in the United States. Headquartered in Boston's Back Bay, it publishes textbooks, instructional technology materials, assessments, reference works, and fiction and non-fiction for both young readers and adults.-History:The company was...
, 2006) ISBN 978-0-395-93431-9 - Teaching and Learning of Astronomy: Effective Strategies for Educators Worldwide, co-edited with John Percy (Cambridge University Press, 2005) ISBN 0-521-84262-X
- The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Sun (Alpha BooksAlpha BooksAlpha Books, a member of Penguin Group, is an American publisher best known for their Complete Idiot's Guides series. It began as a division of Macmillan. Pearson Education acquired Macmillan General Reference from Simon & Schuster in 1999...
, 2003) ISBN 1-59257-074-7 - Nearest Star: The Exciting Science of Our Sun, co-authored with Leon Golub (Harvard University PressHarvard University PressHarvard University Press is a publishing house established on January 13, 1913, as a division of Harvard University, and focused on academic publishing. In 2005, it published 220 new titles. It is a member of the Association of American University Presses. Its current director is William P...
, 2001) ISBN 978-0-674-00467-2 - The Teaching of Astronomy, co-edited with John Percy (Cambridge University Press; Reprint edition, 1992) ISBN 978-0-521-84262-4
- Fire in the Sky: Comets and Meteors, the Decisive Centuries, in British Art and Science, co-authored with Roberta J. M. Olson, both beneficiaries of Getty Fellowships, (Cambridge University Press, 1998) ISBN 978-0-521-66359-5
- Earth Science, co-authored with Naomi Pasachoff and Tim Cooney (Scott Foresman, 1990) ISBN 0-673-42183-X
- Physical Science, co-authored with Naomi Pasachoff and Tim Cooney (Scott Foresman, 1990) ISBN 0-673-42184-8
See also
- Asteroid 5100 Pasachoff
- Asteroid 68109 Naomipasachoff
- Richard Wolfson (physicist)Richard Wolfson (physicist)Richard Wolfson is the Benjamin F. Wissler Professor of Physics at Middlebury College. He is the author of numerous articles and books, several of which include Physics for Scientists and Engineers, Simply Einstein: Relativity Demystified and Nuclear Choices: A Citizen's Guide to Nuclear...
, co-author of a physics textbook with Pasachoff
External links
- Pasachoff's web site at Williams
- Solarcorona.com
- Biography for Jay M. Pasachoff on the Meade 4M Community web site
- Why I Never Miss a Solar Eclipse, By JAY M. PASACHOFF, Published: July 9, 2010