Matthew J. Holman
Encyclopedia
Matthew J. Holman is a Smithsonian
Astrophysicist and lecturer at Harvard University
. Holman studied at MIT, where he received his bachelor's degree
in mathematics
in 1989 and his PhD
in planetary science
in 1994.
He was part of a team that discovered numerous irregular satellite
s of Jupiter
, Saturn
(Albiorix
), Uranus
(Prospero
Setebos
, Stephano
, Trinculo
, Margaret
, Francisco
, Ferdinand
) and Neptune
(Halimede, Sao, Laomedeia, Neso).
He was a Salina Central High School(Kansas) classmate and fellow debate team member of Joe Miller, Alaskan Senate candidate.
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory is a research institute of the Smithsonian Institution headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where it is joined with the Harvard College Observatory to form the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics .-History:The SAO was founded in 1890 by...
Astrophysicist and lecturer 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...
. Holman studied at MIT, where he received his bachelor's degree
Bachelor'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 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...
in 1989 and his PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in planetary science
Planetary science
Planetary science is the scientific study of planets , moons, and planetary systems, in particular those of the Solar System and the processes that form them. It studies objects ranging in size from micrometeoroids to gas giants, aiming to determine their composition, dynamics, formation,...
in 1994.
He was part of a team that discovered numerous irregular satellite
Irregular satellite
In astronomy, an irregular moon is a natural satellite following a distant, inclined, and often eccentric and retrograde orbit. They are believed to have been captured by their parent planet, unlike regular satellites, which form in situ....
s of Jupiter
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with mass one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn,...
, Saturn
Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
(Albiorix
Albiorix (moon)
Albiorix is a prograde irregular satellite of Saturn. It was discovered by Holman, et al. in 2000, and given the temporary designation S/2000 S 11.Albiorix is the largest member of the Gallic group of irregular satellites....
), Uranus
Uranus
Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun. It has the third-largest planetary radius and fourth-largest planetary mass in the Solar System. It is named after the ancient Greek deity of the sky Uranus , the father of Cronus and grandfather of Zeus...
(Prospero
Prospero (moon)
Prospero is a relatively small retrograde irregular satellite of Uranus discovered on 18 July 1999 by the astrophysicist Matthew Holman and his team, and given the provisional designation S/1999 U 3...
Setebos
Setebos (moon)
Setebos is one of the outermost retrograde irregular satellites of Uranus. It was discovered on 18 July 1999 by John J. Kavelaars et al. and provisionally designated S/1999 U 1....
, Stephano
Stephano (moon)
Stephano is a retrograde irregular satellite of Uranus. It was discovered by Brett J. Gladman, et al. in 1999, and given the provisional designation S/1999 U 2....
, Trinculo
Trinculo (moon)
Trinculo is a retrograde irregular satellite of Uranus. It was discovered by Holman, et al. on 13 August 2001, and given the temporary designation S/2001 U 1....
, Margaret
Margaret (moon)
Margaret is the only prograde irregular satellite of Uranus. It was discovered by Scott S. Sheppard, et al. in 2003 and given the provisional designation S/2003 U 3....
, Francisco
Francisco (moon)
Francisco is the innermost irregular satellite of Uranus.Francisco was discovered by Matthew J. Holman, et al. and Brett J. Gladman, et al. in 2003 from pictures taken in 2001 and given the provisional designation S/2001 U 3....
, Ferdinand
Ferdinand (moon)
Ferdinand is the outermost retrograde irregular satellite of Uranus. It was discovered by Matthew J. Holman, John J. Kavelaars, Dan Milisavljevic, and Brett J. Gladman on August 13, 2001, and given the provisional designation S/2001 U 2....
) and 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...
(Halimede, Sao, Laomedeia, Neso).
He was a Salina Central High School(Kansas) classmate and fellow debate team member of Joe Miller, Alaskan Senate candidate.