Mario Hamuy
Encyclopedia
Mario Hamuy is a Chilean Astronomer
and Professor of Astronomy at the University of Chile and Cerro Calan Observatory. He is well known for his observational work on all classes of supernovae, especially the use of Type Ia and Type II supernovae as measures of cosmic distance. He was a student in astronomy and physics at the University of Chile working with Jorge Melnick. In February 1987, he came to the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory
and within a few days of his arrival when the Type II supernova
SN1987A exploded in the LMC
, he began a major campaign at CTIO to monitor this important supernova.
In 1989, in collaboration with Jose Maza, Mark M. Phillips
, and Nicholas Suntzeff, he began the Calán/Tololo Supernova Survey which led to the pioneering work on the standard candle luminosities of Type Ia supernovae. This work led to the precise measurements of the Hubble Constant H0 and the deceleration parameter q0, the latter indicating the presence of a dark energy
or cosmological constant
dominating the mass/energy of the Universe
.
In graduate school at the University of Arizona
at the Steward Observatory
working with Professor Phil Pinto, he changed his focus to the study of core collapse supernovae, in particular using Type II supernova
e to measure geometric distances using the Baade
-Wesselink method, also called the expanding-photosphere method (EPM).
With Pinto, he invented a semi-empirical method to measure distances to Type II events, called the Standard Candle method
, which improved the distance accuracies over EPM.
In 2011, asteroid 109097 was named after him.
Astronomy in Chile
Chile can be considered the capital of Astronomy in the world, nowadays it gathers 42% of Astronomy Infrastructure and by 2018 will concentrate the 70% of the global infrastructure of telescopes. In the north of the country, the skies are clean and dry for more than 300 days a year...
and Professor of Astronomy at the University of Chile and Cerro Calan Observatory. He is well known for his observational work on all classes of supernovae, especially the use of Type Ia and Type II supernovae as measures of cosmic distance. He was a student in astronomy and physics at the University of Chile working with Jorge Melnick. In February 1987, he came to the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory
Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory
The Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory is a complex of astronomical telescopes and instruments located at 30.169 S, 70.804 W, approximately 80 km to the East of La Serena, Chile at an altitude of 2200 metres. The complex is part of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory along with Kitt...
and within a few days of his arrival when the Type II supernova
Type II supernova
A Type II supernova results from the rapid collapse and violent explosion of a massive star. A star must have at least 9 times, and no more than 40–50 times the mass of the Sun for this type of explosion. It is distinguished from other types of supernova by the presence of hydrogen in its spectrum...
SN1987A exploded in the LMC
LMC
LMC are an English dance group consisting of producers, Lee Monteverde, Matt Cadman and Cris Nuttall. They have performed remixes for Scooter, Erasure, Dannii Minogue, Lasgo, Flip & Fill, Robert Palmer and Shania Twain...
, he began a major campaign at CTIO to monitor this important supernova.
In 1989, in collaboration with Jose Maza, Mark M. Phillips
Mark M. Phillips
Mark M. Phillips is internationally recognized astronomer in the observational studies of all classes of supernovae. He is well known for his work on SN1986G, SN1987A, the Calán/Tololo Supernova Survey, the High-Z Supernova Search Team, and especially for the Phillips relationship...
, and Nicholas Suntzeff, he began the Calán/Tololo Supernova Survey which led to the pioneering work on the standard candle luminosities of Type Ia supernovae. This work led to the precise measurements of the Hubble Constant H0 and the deceleration parameter q0, the latter indicating the presence of a dark energy
Dark energy
In physical cosmology, astronomy and celestial mechanics, dark energy is a hypothetical form of energy that permeates all of space and tends to accelerate the expansion of the universe. Dark energy is the most accepted theory to explain recent observations that the universe appears to be expanding...
or cosmological constant
Cosmological constant
In physical cosmology, the cosmological constant was proposed by Albert Einstein as a modification of his original theory of general relativity to achieve a stationary universe...
dominating the mass/energy of the Universe
Universe
The Universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists, including all matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space. Definitions and usage vary and similar terms include the cosmos, the world and nature...
.
In graduate school at the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
at the Steward Observatory
Steward Observatory
The University of Arizona's Steward Observatorys main office is located on the University's campus and is closely tied to the Department of Astronomy. Established in 1916 by its first director, Andrew Ellicott Douglass, and a $60,000 bequest made by Lavinia Steward in memory of her late husband...
working with Professor Phil Pinto, he changed his focus to the study of core collapse supernovae, in particular using Type II supernova
Type II supernova
A Type II supernova results from the rapid collapse and violent explosion of a massive star. A star must have at least 9 times, and no more than 40–50 times the mass of the Sun for this type of explosion. It is distinguished from other types of supernova by the presence of hydrogen in its spectrum...
e to measure geometric distances using the Baade
Walter Baade
Wilhelm Heinrich Walter Baade was a German astronomer who worked in the USA from 1931 to 1959.-Biography:He took advantage of wartime blackout conditions during World War II, which reduced light pollution at Mount Wilson Observatory, to resolve stars in the center of the Andromeda galaxy for the...
-Wesselink method, also called the expanding-photosphere method (EPM).
With Pinto, he invented a semi-empirical method to measure distances to Type II events, called the Standard Candle method
, which improved the distance accuracies over EPM.
In 2011, asteroid 109097 was named after him.