Joseph A. Burns
Encyclopedia
Joseph Burns is a professor at Cornell University
with a dual appointment in the Department of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (TAM) and the Astronomy
department. His primary area of research is dynamics in planetary sciences.
from 1980–1997. He has edited two books, Planetary Satellites (1977) and Satellites (1986). He was the Vice President of the American Astronomical Society
, as well as having chaired its Division for Planetary Sciences
(DPS) and Division on Dynamical Astronomy
(DDA). He is the President of the IAU
's commission on celestial mechanics and dynamical astronomy. Burns is a fellow of the AGU
and the AAAS
, a member of the International Academy of Astronautics
, and a foreign member of the Russian Academy of Sciences
. In 1994 he received the DPS's Masursky Award
for meritorious service to planetary science.
Burns is best known for his theoretical work on dynamical astronomy in our Solar System. In 1979 Burns definitively explained the effect of radiation forces on small particles in the solar system. In 1998, Burns, Gladman
, Nicholson
, and Kavelaars
co-discovered Caliban
and Sycorax
, two moons of Uranus
. He was a member of the Galileo Imaging Team and is currently a member of the Cassini
Imaging Team.
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
with a dual appointment in the Department of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (TAM) and the Astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
department. His primary area of research is dynamics in planetary sciences.
Professional biography
Burns received his Ph.D. from Cornell in 1966. He held the position of Vice Provost of Research and Engineering from 2003 to 2008. Burns was the editor of the planetary science journal IcarusIcarus (journal)
Icarus is a premier scientific journal dedicated to the field of planetary science. It is published under the auspices of the American Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Sciences . The longtime publisher was Academic Press, which is now part of Elsevier...
from 1980–1997. He has edited two books, Planetary Satellites (1977) and Satellites (1986). He was the Vice President of the American Astronomical Society
American Astronomical Society
The American Astronomical Society is an American society of professional astronomers and other interested individuals, headquartered in Washington, DC...
, as well as having chaired its Division for Planetary Sciences
Division for Planetary Sciences
The Division for Planetary Sciences is a division within the American Astronomical Society devoted to solar system research. It was founded in 1968. The first organizing committee members were: Edward Anders, L. Branscomb, J. W. Chamberlain, R. Goody, J. S. Hall, A. Kliore, M. B. Elroy, Tobias...
(DPS) and Division on Dynamical Astronomy
Division on Dynamical Astronomy
The Division on Dynamical Astronomy is a branch of the American Astronomical Society that focuses on the advancement of all aspects of dynamical astronomy, including celestial mechanics, solar system dynamics, stellar dynamics, as well as the dynamics of the interstellar medium and galactic...
(DDA). He is the President of the IAU
International Astronomical Union
The International Astronomical Union IAU is a collection of professional astronomers, at the Ph.D. level and beyond, active in professional research and education in astronomy...
's commission on celestial mechanics and dynamical astronomy. Burns is a fellow of the AGU
American Geophysical Union
The American Geophysical Union is a nonprofit organization of geophysicists, consisting of over 50,000 members from over 135 countries. AGU's activities are focused on the organization and dissemination of scientific information in the interdisciplinary and international field of geophysics...
and the AAAS
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
, a member of the International Academy of Astronautics
International Academy of Astronautics
The International Academy of Astronautics is an international community of experts committed to expanding the frontiers of space. It is a non-governmental organisation established in Stockholm on August 16, 1960....
, and a foreign member of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Academy of Sciences
The Russian Academy of Sciences consists of the national academy of Russia and a network of scientific research institutes from across the Russian Federation as well as auxiliary scientific and social units like libraries, publishers and hospitals....
. In 1994 he received the DPS's Masursky Award
Masursky Award
The Harold Masursky Award for Meritorious Service to Planetary Science, usually called the Masursky Award, is awarded annually by the Division for Planetary Sciences of the American Astronomical Society...
for meritorious service to planetary science.
Burns is best known for his theoretical work on dynamical astronomy in our Solar System. In 1979 Burns definitively explained the effect of radiation forces on small particles in the solar system. In 1998, Burns, Gladman
Brett J. Gladman
Brett J. Gladman is a Canadian astronomer and a full professor at the University of British Columbia's Department of Physics and Astronomy in Vancouver, British Columbia. He holds the Canada Research Chair in Planetary Astronomy.-Career:...
, Nicholson
Phil Nicholson
Philip D. Nicholson is a Professor of Astronomy at Cornell University in the Astronomy department specialising in Planetary Sciences. He was part of the team led by Brett J. Gladman that discovered several moons of Uranus and Saturn. He has been editor-in-chief of the journal Icarus since 1998.-...
, and Kavelaars
John J. Kavelaars
John J. Kavelaars, better known as JJ Kavelaars, is a Canadian astronomer who was part of a team that discovered several moons of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune....
co-discovered Caliban
Caliban (moon)
Caliban is the second largest retrograde irregular moon of Uranus. It was discovered on 6 September 1997 by Brett J. Gladman, Philip D. Nicholson, Joseph A. Burns, and John J...
and Sycorax
Sycorax (moon)
Sycorax is the largest retrograde irregular satellite of Uranus. Sycorax was discovered on 6 September 1997 by Brett J. Gladman, Philip D. Nicholson, Joseph A. Burns, and John J...
, two moons of Uranus
Uranus
Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun. It has the third-largest planetary radius and fourth-largest planetary mass in the Solar System. It is named after the ancient Greek deity of the sky Uranus , the father of Cronus and grandfather of Zeus...
. He was a member of the Galileo Imaging Team and is currently a member of the Cassini
Cassini-Huygens
Cassini–Huygens is a joint NASA/ESA/ASI spacecraft mission studying the planet Saturn and its many natural satellites since 2004. Launched in 1997 after nearly two decades of gestation, it includes a Saturn orbiter and an atmospheric probe/lander for the moon Titan, although it has also returned...
Imaging Team.
Former graduate students
- Mark Showalter (discoverer of PanPan (moon)Pan is the innermost moon of Saturn. It is a walnut-shaped small moon about 35 kilometres across and 23 km high that orbits within the Encke Gap in Saturn's A Ring. Pan acts as a ring shepherd and is responsible for keeping the Encke Gap free of ring particles.It was discovered by Mark R...
, manager of the PDS Rings NodePlanetary Data SystemThe Planetary Data System is a distributed data system that NASA uses to archive data collected by Solar System robotic missions and ground-based support data associated with those missions. PDS is managed by NASA Headquarters' Planetary Sciences Division. The PDS is an active archive that makes...
) - Douglas Hamilton (Professor of Astronomy, University of Maryland)
- Bob Kolvoord (Professor, James Madison University)
- Brett J. GladmanBrett J. GladmanBrett J. Gladman is a Canadian astronomer and a full professor at the University of British Columbia's Department of Physics and Astronomy in Vancouver, British Columbia. He holds the Canada Research Chair in Planetary Astronomy.-Career:...
(Professor, University of British Columbia)