Megan Schwamb
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Schwamb in 2015
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| Born | 1984 (age 39–40)
Huntsville, Alabama, U.S.
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| Known for | Discovery of 225088 Gonggong and other trans-Neptunian objects, Citizen Science projects, Astrotweeps |
| Awards | Carl Sagan Medal (2017) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Planetary astronomy |
| Institutions |
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| Thesis | Beyond Sedna: Probing the Distant Solar System |
| Doctoral advisor | Michael E. Brown |
| Website | megschwamb |
Megan E. Schwamb (born 1984) is an American astronomer and planetary scientist, and lectureratQueen's University, Belfast. Schwamb has discovered and co-discovered several trans-Neptunian objects, and is involved with Citizen science projects such as Planet Four and Planet Hunters.
In 2006, Schwamb graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. summa cum laude with Distinction in physics. She went on to study astrophysics in the California Institute of Technology, graduated Master of Science in 2008. Schwamb finished her Ph.D.inplanetary science in 2011, also from the California Institute of Technology. Her thesis was researching "Beyond Sedna: Probing the Distant Solar System",[1] and her advisor was Michael Brown.[2]
Between 2010 and 2013 Schwamb was a postdoctoral fellow at Yale University. She worked at the Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics at Academia SinicainTaipeiinRepublic of China (Taiwan) from 2013 until 2016.[3] Schwamb then held the post of assistant scientist at the Gemini Observatory.[2] before moving to Queen's University, Belfast. She is the creator and co-founder of Astrotweeps, a Rotation Curation account on astronomy.[4]
Schwamb is involved in citizen science projects. She is a founding science team member for Planet Four, project intended for mapping seasonal fans on the South Pole of Mars.[2] She is also part of the science team leading at Planet Hunters a project in which users analyze data from the NASA Kepler Space Mission while searching for exoplanets.[5]
In 2017 she received a Carl Sagan Medal for excellence in public communication, for the creation of the Astrotweeps and Planet Four projects.[4] On 13 April 2017, asteroid 11814 Schwamb, discovered by Schelte Bus at the Siding Spring Observatory in 1981, was named in her honor (M.P.C. 103979).[6][7]
She specialized in studying sednoids,[1] and co-discovered several trans-Neptunian objects.[8][9]
Megan Schwamb is credited by the Minor Planet Center with the discovery and co-discovery of 16 minor planets during 2007–2010 (see list).[8] In addition to the confirmed discoveries, she also participated in the first observations of the unnumbered objects 2008 ST291, 2012 HG84 and 2012 KU50.
| (187661) 2007 JG43 | 10 May 2007 | list [A][B] |
| 229762 Gǃkúnǁʼhòmdímà | 17 July 2007 | list [A][B] |
| 225088 Gonggong | 17 July 2007 | list [A][B] |
| (305543) 2008 QY40 | 25 August 2008 | list [A][B] |
| (315530) 2008 AP129 | 11 January 2008 | list [A] |
| (382004) 2010 RM64 | 9 September 2010 | list [B][C] |
| (386096) 2007 PR44 | 7 August 2007 | list [A] |
| (445473) 2010 VZ98 | 11 November 2010 | list [B][C] |
| (471196) 2010 PK66 | 14 August 2010 | list [B][C] |
| (471210) 2010 VW11 | 3 November 2010 | list [B][C] |
| (499522) 2010 PL66 | 14 August 2010 | list [B][C] |
| (504555) 2008 SO266 | 24 September 2008 | list [A][B] |
| (508338) 2015 SO20 | 8 October 2010 | list |
| (523618) 2007 RT15 | 11 September 2007 | list [A][B] |
| (523629) 2008 SP266 | 26 September 2008 | list [A][B] |
| (528381) 2008 ST291 | 24 September 2008 | list [A][B] |
| Co-discovery made with: A M. E. Brown B D. L. Rabinowitz C S. Tourtellotte | ||
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| Authority control databases: Academics |
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