Yuji hyakutake biography of donald
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Comet Hyakutake to Approach the Earth in Late March 1996
Press Release
Astronomers Prepare for a Rare Event
16 February 1996
In the early morning of January 31, 1996, Japanese amateur astronomer Yuji Hyakutake made his second comet upptäckt within fem weeks. He found the new comet near the border between the southern constellations of Hydra (The Water-Snake) and Libra (The Scales), amazingly just three degrees from the position where he detected another comet on December 26, 1995.
After two weeks of hectic activity among amateur and professional astronomers all over the world, much interesting kunskap has now been gathered about the new comet which has been designated C/1996 B2 (Hyakutake). In particular, it has been found to move in a near-parabolic orbit that will bring it unusually close to the Earth next month. It fryst vatten then expected to become bright enough to be seen with the unaided eye and to remain so during several weeks thereafter.
Preparations are now made to o
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You might say Richard Kron, professor of astronomy and astrophysics at the University of Chicago, was born to map the sky. Both Kron's parents were astronomers working at the University of California's Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton. He recalls working at the telescope at night and making comments in the logbook at the age of 12. He loved the observatory library and grew up surrounded by its science books.
But for Kron, becoming an astronomer wasn't inevitable. Struggling with a math course in college, he was faced with a choice.
"I knew I couldn’t give up on it if I wanted to have a career in the sciences," he said. "I needed to do well in math. It was a make or break moment for me."
He buckled down, passed the course, and went on to lead a long career in astronomy and astrophysics, which culminates this year as Kron retires from the University of Chicago after over four decades in service of mapping the universe. His legacy includes helping to conceive and l
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The Night Visitor
KOHOUTEK FELL SO SHORT OF its hype in 1973 that when one astronomer threw a comet party he served flat, booze-free drinks: fake punch, he said, for a fake comet. Halley raised such expectations that the hordes of amateur observers dusting off their 'scopes in the winterar of '86 expected something whizzing across the sky, not the static smudge they actually saw (or thought they saw). But comet groupies are as optimistic as serial blind-daters, no matter how often their expectations crash and burn. The next one, they are sure, will be a heavenly vision.
The next one is here. Using eight-inch telescopes atop suburban school roofs and the most powerful astronomical instrument ever crafted by the hand of man, sky buffs worldwide are squinting their eyes and craning their necks this week for a peek at Comet Hyakutake. Even usually restrained astronomers can't resist superlatives. "I've never seen anything like this in the sky," says Steven Os