Discovery

Most Powerful Supernova

Submitted by Rebecca on Thu, 2013-08-15 11:30
Date: 
Sat, 2005-01-01

An automated search using a McDonald telescope discovered the most powerful supernova to date, Supernove 2005ap.The exploding star briefly shone 100 billion times brighter than the Sun. The Texas Supernova Search project was run by University of Texas graduate student Robert Quimby using the ROTSE IIIb telescope at McDonald.

Milestone Type: 
Discovery

Sizing Up the Stars

Submitted by Rebecca on Thu, 2013-08-15 10:59
Date: 
Thu, 1976-01-01

Tom Barnes and David Evans published a method for determining a star’s size by measuring its brightness and temperature. Known as the “surface brightness relation,” it is still a commonly used technique today.

Milestone Type: 
Discovery

Invention of High Speed Photometry

Submitted by Rebecca on Thu, 2013-08-15 10:43
Date: 
Thu, 1970-01-01

An instrument developed by R. Edward Nather opened a new field of astronomy, high-speed photometry. It allows astronomers to measure changes in an object’s brightness on timescales of a thousandth of a second or less. Among other things, it has been used used to discover rapid pulsations in white dwarfs, the “corpses” of once-normal stars like the Sun.

Milestone Type: 
Discovery

Improving the View

Submitted by Rebecca on Thu, 2013-08-15 10:08
Date: 
Sat, 1955-01-01

Harold Johnson and W.W. Morgan devised a system for measuring the colors of stars. The system, which is still in use today, allows astronomers to remove the effect of interstellar dust, which makes stars look redder.

Milestone Type: 
Discovery