Harrison Schmitt is a geologist, former astronaut, and U.S. Senator. He holds a Doctorate in Geology from Harvard University. He served as Lunar Module pilot on the Apollo 17 mission in 1972, and was the first scientist to walk on the Moon. Jack represented New Mexico in the Senate from 1977-1982. He consults, speaks, and writes on policy issues of the future, space, and the science of the Moon.
Carolyn Shoemaker has discovered more comets than any other living astronomer. Her tally includes 32 comets and more than 300 asteroids, including the co-discovery of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, which collided with Jupiter in 1994. Dr. Shoemaker, who earned her doctorate in astronomy from Northern Arizona University, is especially interested in the discovery of asteroids and comets and investigation of ancient impact structures.
David Levy is an accomplished astronomer and writer. He has discovered 21 comets, 8 with his own observatory in southern Arizona. With Gene and Carolyn Shoemaker, he discovered Shoemaker-Levy 9, which broke apart and collided with Jupiter in 1994, causing the largest explosion in recorded history. David Levy is also the science editor for Parade Magazine, an Emmy-winning television writer, and has published 29 books on science and astronomy.
John Lewis is a professor of planetary science at the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. His interests in the chemistry and formation of the solar system and the economic development of space have made him a leading proponent of turning potentially hazardous near Earth objects into attractive space resources. An expert on the composition and chemistry of asteroids and comets, Dr. Lewis has written such popular science books as Rain of Iron and Ice and Mining the Sky and other astronomy publications.
Neil deGrasse Tyson is an astrophysicist and director of the Hayden Planetarium in New York City. He is a graduate of Harvard and holds a doctorate in astrophysics from Columbia University. His research interests include star formation, exploding stars, dwarf galaxies, and the structure of our Milky Way galaxy. A popular educator, Dr. Tyson is also a visiting research scientist and lecturer at Princeton University; his books and television appearances continue to stimulate the public’s fascination with space science and astronomy.
Freeman Dyson is a mathematical physicist and professor emeritus of physics at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, N.J. His research has been spread over many fields, pure mathematics, atomic physics, astrophysics, statistical mechanics, and the origin of life. He has written extensively on the subjects of space exploration and the challenges of modern technology, and is the 2000 recipient of the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion.
Richard Hallion is the U.S. Air Force Historian, responsible for directing the worldwide Air Force historical and museum programs. He is the former Charles A. Lindbergh Professor of Aerospace History, Smithsonian Institution, 1990-1991. Dr. Hallion is the author of 15 books relating to aerospace history, and teaches and lectures widely.
More on Near Earth Objects Danger
Other Great Resources from About Astronomy and Space
- Telescope Basics
- Moon Basic Information
- Free Printable Space Posters
- Space Shuttle Resources
- Moon Phase Calendar Through 2025
