Paul G. Abel
Encyclopedia
Paul G. Abel is a British astronomer, mathematician, broadcaster and writer. Currently, he is based in the Centre for Interdisciplinary Science in the department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Leicester
where he teaches Mathematics and his research is concerned with black hole thermodynamics with Prof. Derek Raine. He also presents on BBC's long running The Sky at Night
with Sir Patrick Moore, Pete Lawrence
and Dr. Chris Lintott
.
He has written for many popular astronomy magazines promoting amateur astronomy, and in particular, the science that amateurs can contribute to the field.
, but after two years he switched to the MMATH Mathematics degree program, preferring to concentrate on the more theoretical aspects of physics- namely general relativity
and differential geometry.
After graduating, he then started Doctoral work in Cosmology
at the University of Sheffield. After a year however, he returned to the University of Leicester, finding his initial choice of subject “a little too left field!” He then started a PhD concerned with Hawking Radiation
and Black Hole Thermodynamics
which he is currently in the process of writing up.
He currently teaches Mathematics on the innovative new Interdisciplinary Science degree in the Physics Department at the University of Leicester, and supervises 1st Year Mathematics students in the Mathematics department.
and associate member of the Institute of Physics
. He is currently an assistant director of the Saturn section of the British Astronomical Association
.
at the age of eight after reading an astronomy section in an encyclopedia . In 1989 the Voyager 2 spacecraft reached the planet Neptune and after watching Patrick Moore present the results and findings, he decided to write to him. He did not have Moore's address at the time, and so he simply addressed the envelope “Patrick Moore”. Two days later, a letter typed by Moore (on his famous Woodstock typewriter) arrived encouraging him to make a start in astronomy.
During his early years he owned a number of telescopes, but by the age of 15 he was finding the small telescopes he possessed, limited for studying the Moon and planets. As Abel was a member of the British Astronomical Association, Moore helped him secure the loan of a 4.5 inch refractor which was ideally suited for studying the Moon and Planets. In particular Abel used the telescope to monitor storms on Saturn and the polar ice caps of Mars.
During the years of 1999 to 2005, Abel was concerned with his undergraduate degree at the University of Leicester and he was unable to do much in the way of regular amateur astronomer, but he continued to use the University's 16 inch telescope, albeit in a rather random fashion. However, in 2006 he once again returned to amateur astronomy,and he now has an observatory which houses his 8 inch Newtonian Reflector used for studying the Moon and Planets of the Solar system.
Abel is a Lunar and Planetary astronomer and his preferred method of recording planetary details is to draw what is observed in the eyepiece, such is the principle of Visual astronomy. Abel learned the principles of lunar and planetary observation along with the techniques of astronomical draftsmanship from Moore who was himself one of the foremost lunar cartographers of the 20th century. Over the course of a year, Abel studied Moore's observing books which contained stunning charts of the lunar surface and, using Moore's 12 inch reflector, Abel was able to develop the skills required to become a reliable planetary observer. Thanks to this apprenticeship under Moore, Abel is now a prominent visual observer.
Today, most amateur astronomers choose to image their subject of study, but Abel and other visual observers have argued that if the field becomes dominated entirely by imaging the emphasis in amateur astronomy could change from science to art and there will be the danger that the subject may become one sided and unappetizing to newcomers who may not wish to invest in large telescopes and computers. He also argues that imaging makes a very important contribution to the subject, but that the combination of both visual astronomers and imaging astronomers is essential as the two methods of data collection can lead to a more balanced objective results.
Along with his own telescope, Abel uses a variety of other telescopes to make visual observations of the Moon and Planets, including the 24 inch Alvan Clarke Refractor at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, Moore's 12.5 inch reflector, and the University of Leicester's recently acquired 20 inch Cassegrain telescope.
Abel has written a number of Articles on popular astronomy for various astronomy magazines including The Sky at Night Magazine, Astronomy Now and Sky and Telescope. He is currently writing a book for Springer-Verlag on Visual lunar and planetary amateur astronomy, a book he hopes will encourage other amateur astronomers to try visual observation.
He recently helped the producer of BBC6 Music's Lauren Lavern's show- Gary Bales- establish the 'WOW Signal', a slot in the program whereby listeners are chosen to write and voice a message summarizing life on earth. This message is followed by a song of their choice, and the whole package is transmitted to a nearby star.
His other television appearances include Blue Peter
and the Chelsea Flower Show
University of Leicester
The University of Leicester is a research-led university based in Leicester, England. The main campus is a mile south of the city centre, adjacent to Victoria Park and Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College....
where he teaches Mathematics and his research is concerned with black hole thermodynamics with Prof. Derek Raine. He also presents on BBC's long running The Sky at Night
The Sky at Night
The Sky at Night is a monthly documentary television programme on astronomy produced by the BBC. The show has had the same permanent presenter, Sir Patrick Moore, from its first airing on 24 April 1957, making it the longest-running programme with the same presenter in television history.The...
with Sir Patrick Moore, Pete Lawrence
Peter B. Lawrence
Peter B. Lawrence is a British amateur astronomer best known for his popularization of astronomy on the BBC's The Sky at Night with Sir Patrick Moore, Paul Abel and Dr. Chris Lintott...
and Dr. Chris Lintott
Chris Lintott
Christopher John Lintott is an English astrophysicist currently serving as the Director of Citizen Science at the Adler Planetarium. He is a post-doctoral researcher who is involved in a number of popular science projects aimed at bringing astronomical science to a wider audience...
.
He has written for many popular astronomy magazines promoting amateur astronomy, and in particular, the science that amateurs can contribute to the field.
Academic Background
Abel initially read for an MMATH Mathematics with Astronomy degree in the Department of Mathematics & Computer Science at the University of LeicesterUniversity of Leicester
The University of Leicester is a research-led university based in Leicester, England. The main campus is a mile south of the city centre, adjacent to Victoria Park and Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College....
, but after two years he switched to the MMATH Mathematics degree program, preferring to concentrate on the more theoretical aspects of physics- namely general relativity
General relativity
General relativity or the general theory of relativity is the geometric theory of gravitation published by Albert Einstein in 1916. It is the current description of gravitation in modern physics...
and differential geometry.
After graduating, he then started Doctoral work in Cosmology
Cosmology
Cosmology is the discipline that deals with the nature of the Universe as a whole. Cosmologists seek to understand the origin, evolution, structure, and ultimate fate of the Universe at large, as well as the natural laws that keep it in order...
at the University of Sheffield. After a year however, he returned to the University of Leicester, finding his initial choice of subject “a little too left field!” He then started a PhD concerned with Hawking Radiation
Hawking radiation
Hawking radiation is a thermal radiation with a black body spectrum predicted to be emitted by black holes due to quantum effects. It is named after the physicist Stephen Hawking, who provided a theoretical argument for its existence in 1974, and sometimes also after the physicist Jacob Bekenstein...
and Black Hole Thermodynamics
Black hole thermodynamics
In physics, black hole thermodynamics is the area of study that seeks to reconcile the laws of thermodynamics with the existence of black hole event horizons...
which he is currently in the process of writing up.
He currently teaches Mathematics on the innovative new Interdisciplinary Science degree in the Physics Department at the University of Leicester, and supervises 1st Year Mathematics students in the Mathematics department.
Professional Appointments.
Abel is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical SocietyRoyal Astronomical Society
The Royal Astronomical Society is a learned society that began as the Astronomical Society of London in 1820 to support astronomical research . It became the Royal Astronomical Society in 1831 on receiving its Royal Charter from William IV...
and associate member of the Institute of Physics
Institute of Physics
The Institute of Physics is a scientific charity devoted to increasing the practice, understanding and application of physics. It has a worldwide membership of around 40,000....
. He is currently an assistant director of the Saturn section of the British Astronomical Association
British Astronomical Association
The British Astronomical Association is the senior national association of amateur astronomers in the UK.-Function:It encourages observational astronomy by non-professionals in areas which cannot be covered by professional observatories...
.
Amateur Astronomy
Abel became interested in astronomyAstronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
at the age of eight after reading an astronomy section in an encyclopedia . In 1989 the Voyager 2 spacecraft reached the planet Neptune and after watching Patrick Moore present the results and findings, he decided to write to him. He did not have Moore's address at the time, and so he simply addressed the envelope “Patrick Moore”. Two days later, a letter typed by Moore (on his famous Woodstock typewriter) arrived encouraging him to make a start in astronomy.
During his early years he owned a number of telescopes, but by the age of 15 he was finding the small telescopes he possessed, limited for studying the Moon and planets. As Abel was a member of the British Astronomical Association, Moore helped him secure the loan of a 4.5 inch refractor which was ideally suited for studying the Moon and Planets. In particular Abel used the telescope to monitor storms on Saturn and the polar ice caps of Mars.
During the years of 1999 to 2005, Abel was concerned with his undergraduate degree at the University of Leicester and he was unable to do much in the way of regular amateur astronomer, but he continued to use the University's 16 inch telescope, albeit in a rather random fashion. However, in 2006 he once again returned to amateur astronomy,and he now has an observatory which houses his 8 inch Newtonian Reflector used for studying the Moon and Planets of the Solar system.
Abel is a Lunar and Planetary astronomer and his preferred method of recording planetary details is to draw what is observed in the eyepiece, such is the principle of Visual astronomy. Abel learned the principles of lunar and planetary observation along with the techniques of astronomical draftsmanship from Moore who was himself one of the foremost lunar cartographers of the 20th century. Over the course of a year, Abel studied Moore's observing books which contained stunning charts of the lunar surface and, using Moore's 12 inch reflector, Abel was able to develop the skills required to become a reliable planetary observer. Thanks to this apprenticeship under Moore, Abel is now a prominent visual observer.
Today, most amateur astronomers choose to image their subject of study, but Abel and other visual observers have argued that if the field becomes dominated entirely by imaging the emphasis in amateur astronomy could change from science to art and there will be the danger that the subject may become one sided and unappetizing to newcomers who may not wish to invest in large telescopes and computers. He also argues that imaging makes a very important contribution to the subject, but that the combination of both visual astronomers and imaging astronomers is essential as the two methods of data collection can lead to a more balanced objective results.
Along with his own telescope, Abel uses a variety of other telescopes to make visual observations of the Moon and Planets, including the 24 inch Alvan Clarke Refractor at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, Moore's 12.5 inch reflector, and the University of Leicester's recently acquired 20 inch Cassegrain telescope.
Popular Science.
At the end of 2009, after a number of appearances on the BBC's longest running TV program “The Sky at Night,” Moore asked Abel to officially join the program in the capacity of a co-presenter, and in early 2010 he joined the institutional program. Abel is a keen writer and broadcaster and likes to encourage peoples' interest in science and astronomy.Abel has written a number of Articles on popular astronomy for various astronomy magazines including The Sky at Night Magazine, Astronomy Now and Sky and Telescope. He is currently writing a book for Springer-Verlag on Visual lunar and planetary amateur astronomy, a book he hopes will encourage other amateur astronomers to try visual observation.
He recently helped the producer of BBC6 Music's Lauren Lavern's show- Gary Bales- establish the 'WOW Signal', a slot in the program whereby listeners are chosen to write and voice a message summarizing life on earth. This message is followed by a song of their choice, and the whole package is transmitted to a nearby star.
His other television appearances include Blue Peter
Blue Peter
Blue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
and the Chelsea Flower Show
Chelsea Flower Show
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, formally known as the Great Spring Show, is a garden show held for five days in May by the Royal Horticultural Society in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in Chelsea, London...
External links
- http://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/interdisciplinary-science/people-1/paul-abel Interdisciplinary Science Centre, University of Leicester
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/features/skyatnight/aps/team.shtml BBC Sky at Night Homepage
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/shows/lauren-laverne/features/wow-signal/ Wow Signal, BBC6 Music, Lauren Laverne