Brian Marsden dies at 73; astronomer who tracked comets and asteroids

LATimes ^ | 11/20/10 | Thomas H. Maugh

[LibWhacker]

Astronomer Brian G. Marsden, a comet and asteroid tracker who stood sentinel to protect the Earth from collisions with interplanetary rocks and other remnants of the solar system's creation, died Thursday of cancer at Lahey Clinic Medical Center in Burlington, Mass. He was 73.

Director emeritus of the Minor Planet Center at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Mass., Marsden was perhaps best known for his 1998 announcement that an asteroid known as 1997 XF11 might strike the Earth in 2028, causing untold damage. The announcement sparked additional studies which quickly showed that such an impact was unlikely.

Marsden, who was once called "a cheery herald of fear" by the New York Times, also played a key role in the demotion of Pluto from major to minor planetary status, which also gained him a certain amount of infamy.

[LibWhacker]

Man, it's been a tough week for astronomy. RIP.

[FormerACLUmember]

A good man who sought to protect the earth from heavenly dangers now goes to heaven.

[dr_lew]

Kepler's epitaph as noted by his son-in-law:

Mensus eram coelos, nunc terrae metior umbras:
Mens coelestis erat, corporis umbra jacet.

I used to measure the heavens,
now I shall measure the shadows of the earth.

Although my soul was from heaven,
the shadow of my body lies here.

... The latin jacet is a word play. It means "cast", but came to mean "lies" in the sense of "cast down". Poetically, I think the last line might be rendered,

My mind was in the heavens, my body's shadow is cast here.

[fieldmarshaldj]

RIP.

[SuziQ]

Man, it's been a tough week for astronomy. RIP.

What happened besides Mr. Marsden's death?

[Cacique]

btt

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks LibWhacker.

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[SunkenCiv]

Thanks LibWhacker.

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[SunkenCiv]

Thanks LibWhacker.

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[AndrewC]

Man, it's been a tough week for astronomy. RIP.

I think the universe will hang around for a bit longer despite the losses. In fact, I'm sure it will outlive all of us. That said, prayers for his family and friends.