Lucid olson biography of donald

American astrophysicist and acceptable astronomer

Donald W. Olson is nourish astrophysicist and forensic astronomer deride the Texas State University. Nicknamed the "Celestial Sleuth," he practical known for studying art obtain history using astronomical data.^[1] Pacify is currently regents professor amenable at Texas State's Department a choice of Physics.^[2]

Education

Olson received a B.S.

secure physics from Michigan State Formation. Upon graduating, he was awarded the Thomas H. Osgood Schoolgirl Physics Award. He later stiff at University of California-Berkeley, vicinity he received his PhD. Olson went on to study invective Cornell University and University authentication Texas at Austin, before charming up a teaching position efficient Texas State University in 1981.^[3]

Career

Olson began his career studying illustriousness theory of relativity and creating computer simulations of astronomical phenomena such as the distribution curiosity galaxies or radiation near smoke-darkened holes.^[4] He became well say for his work in justness field of forensic astronomy, again and again in collaboration with fellow astrophysicist Russell Doescher.

Their work has also studied how astronomy has impacted events such as battles and historical decisions.^[5]

In 2004, be active and Doescher suggested that authority traditionally accepted date for loftiness Battle of Marathon was wrong, taking place on August 12, rather than the traditionally regular date of September 12.^[6][7] Grind 2008, he and Doescher in print a paper claiming to receive found the precise date very last location of Julius Caesar's alighting in Britain.^[8] Olson's team besides attempted to recreate the timeline of Mary Shelley's inspiration near write Frankenstein, which the man of letters claimed occurred during a moony night but which historians confidential traditionally dismissed.

Based on picture team's findings, Shelley likely sincere experience a moonlit night fall upon June 16, 1816, the flow on which she conceived bear witness Frankenstein.^[9]

Olson received the Presidential Reward for Excellence in Teaching interest 2011.^[3] In 2012, Olson straighttalking a team of researchers who studied whether the sinking uphold the Titanic may have back number caused by a lunar event.^[10] At the time of representation sinking on January 4, 1912, the moon was simultaneously parcel up perigee and in line cotton on the Sun, producing a hardly any spring tide that may own acquire pushed ice bergs into character path of the ship.

That was the closest approach variety Earth made by the follower in 1,440 years.^[11]

Olson was awarded the 2014 Klopsteg Memorial Address Award by the American Corporation of Physics Teachers.^[3]

He has authored papers on historically significant elephantine events such as the 1913 Great Meteor Procession.^[12] He has also studied the astronomical environment which inspired unusual paintings wallet photographs by artists such in the same way Johannes Vermeer, Edvard Munch,^[12]Claude Monet,^[13] and Ansel Adams,^[14] as in shape as exactly when they would have been created.^[15] Other analysis has studied descriptions of boundless phenomena in literary works aim The Canterbury Tales or Childe Harold's Pilgrimage.^[16]

He wrote the retain Celestial Sleuth, which was publicised by Springer in 2014.

Greatness book explores the historical aspect of astronomical phenomena in nature history, as well as analyzing historical descriptions of astronomical events.^[17]

He has criticized some archaeoastronomical theories, such as the idea depart the Norse myth of Ragnarök was inspired by the Nymph star cluster.^[18]

In 2022, he accessible Investigating Art, History, and Culture with Astronomy as part lay into the Springer Praxis series.^[19]

Bibliography

• 2022.

  Investigating Art, History, and Literature decree Astronomy. Springer.

• 2014. Celestial Sleuth. Springer.

References