Stephen P. Maran Explained

Stephen P. Maran is an American astronomer and popularizer who is known for his books,[1] articles, and popular lectures[2] for the general public, including Astronomy For Dummies.

Early life

Maran was born in Brooklyn, where he experienced astronomy by visiting the Hayden Planetarium[3] and by viewing the sky from a deserted Bronx golf course.[4] He graduated from New York's Stuyvesant High School in 1955, then received the bachelor's degree in physics from Brooklyn College in 1959.[5] His postgraduate work at the University of Michigan earned him the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in astronomy in 1961 and 1964, respectively.[6] He is married to journalist Sally Scott Maran, with whom he has three children.

Career

Maran was an astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center for 35 years, from 1969-2004. During this time, he served as a staff scientist, Project Scientist, and Principal Investigator, and was involved in research on a number of missions, including the Hubble Space Telescope. He was the Assistant Director of Space Sciences for Information and Outreach from 1995–2004, and was the original moderator for the NASA televised show Space Astronomy Update, begun in 1991.[7] [8]

He served for 25 years (1984-2009) as the Press Officer for the American Astronomical Society.

Awards

Maran was awarded a NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal in 1991. He is winner of the 1999 Klumpke-Roberts Award,[9] the 2007 George Van Biesbroeck Prize[10] and the 2011 Andrew Gemant Award.[11]

Minor planet 9768 Stephenmaran, discovered in 1992, was named in his honor by the International Astronomical Union

Books

Notes and References

  1. News: 'Bringing the Cosmos Down to Earth" in the Washington Post. https://archive.today/20120716120928/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/52504030.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Apr+10,+2000&author=Kathy+Sawyer&pub=The+Washington+Post&edition=&startpage=C.01&desc=Bringing+the+Cosmos+Down+to+Earth;+Astronomer+Stephen+Maran,+Making+Explanation+an+Art. dead. July 16, 2012. Washington Post. 2012-05-02.
  2. Web site: Stephen Maran Speaking on Cruises. insightcruises.com. 2012-05-02.
  3. Web site: National Capital Astronomers Newsletter, April 1994. capitalastronomers.org. 2012-04-20.
  4. Book: Maran, Stephen . 2005 . Astronomy for Dummies . 2nd. Wiley Publishing, Inc. . 978-0-7645-8465-7.
  5. Web site: 'Star Attraction' in Bangor Daily News. Bangor Daily News. 2012-05-02.
  6. Web site: Biography of Stephen P. Maran at the American Astronomical Society.. aas.org. 2012-04-20. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20111227095429/http://aas.org/staff/steve_maran.php. 2011-12-27.
  7. Web site: Astronautics and Aeronautics Chronology 1991-1995. nasa.gov. 2012-04-20.
  8. NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Laboratory for Astronomy and Solar Physics Report, 1993. adsabs.harvard.edu. 1993BAAS...25..354H. Hauser. M. G.. 25. 1993. 354. Bulletin of the Astronomical Society. 1 .
  9. Web site: Astronomical Society of the Pacific 1999 Awards. astrosociety.org. 2012-04-20.
  10. Web site: George Van Biesbroeck Prize List. aas.org. 2012-04-20. 2013-01-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20130118000217/http://aas.org/prizes/george_van_biesbroeck_prize. dead.
  11. Web site: American Institute of Physics 2011 Gemant Award. aip.org. 2012-04-20.

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