Thomas Henning
Encyclopedia
Thomas Henning is a German astrophysicist. Since 2001, he is a director at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy
. Henning is an expert in the field of star
and planet formation.
as a postdoc (1984–1985), Henning returned to Jena where he served as an assistant at Jena Observatory
, completing his habilitation
in 1989. He then became a guest scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy
in Bonn
1989-1990 and a guest lecturer at the University of Cologne
in 1991. Henning returned to the University of Jena that same year, taking over as managing scientist of the Max Planck Research Unit "Dust in Star-Forming Regions", a post he held until 1996. Henning became a professor at Jena University in 1992.
In 1999, Henning became Chair of Astrophysics at Jena University; a position he was to hold until 2002. At the same time, he became Director of the Astrophysical Institute and of Jena Observatory. The same year, he was chosen as a fellow of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and served as a guest professor at the University of Amsterdam. Between 2000 and 2007, he was co-chair of the DFG
research group "Laboratory Astrophysics" in Chemnitz
and Jena
. Since 2001, Henning is a director and scientific member at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, where he is head of the planetary and star formation department. He retains his professorship at Jena and, in 2003, joined the faculty at Heidelberg University as an honorary professor.
The asteroid
30882 has been named "Tomhenning" in his honour.
and planet formation. One of his areas of specialization is the observation and modelling of protoplanetary diskss around young star
s -- an early stage in the evolution of planetary system
s. To this end, Henning has also done research on the properties of interstellar dust
and, more generally, on the physics
and chemistry
of the interstellar medium
-- both theoretically and using the methods of laboratory astrophysics and observational astronomy. The focus of his observational work is at infrared
and submillimeter wavelengths.
Throughout his career, Henning has been involved in large cooperative research projects, such as instrument-building for the ESA space telescope Herschel
, for the James Webb Space Telescope
and for the telescopes of the European Southern Observatory
; construction of the Large Binocular Telescope
in Arizona
; the Spitzer
Legacy Project "Formation of Planetary Systems", several Herschel legacy projects, the Pan-STARRS
survey and the HAT-South transit network. Henning is a member of several astronomical steering and advisory committees, including the CAHA board, the boards of directors of the LBT
and of PS1
,and the scientific advisory council of the Thüringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg.
Max Planck Institute for Astronomy
The Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie is a research institute of the Max Planck Society. It is located in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany near the top of the Koenigstuhl, adjacent to the historic Landessternwarte Heidelberg-Königstuhl astronomical observatory.The institute was founded in...
. Henning is an expert in the field of star
Star formation
Star formation is the process by which dense parts of molecular clouds collapse into a ball of plasma to form a star. As a branch of astronomy star formation includes the study of the interstellar medium and giant molecular clouds as precursors to the star formation process and the study of young...
and planet formation.
Education and career
Henning studied physics and mathematics at the University of Greifswald, specializing in plasma physics. He continued his studies at the University of Jena, specializing in astronomy and astrophysics and obtaining his PhD in 1984. After joining Charles University in PragueCharles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic. Founded in 1348, it was the first university in Central Europe and is also considered the earliest German university...
as a postdoc (1984–1985), Henning returned to Jena where he served as an assistant at Jena Observatory
Jena Observatory
Astrophysikalisches Institut und Universitäts-Sternwarte Jena is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by Friedrich Schiller University of Jena...
, completing his habilitation
Habilitation
Habilitation is the highest academic qualification a scholar can achieve by his or her own pursuit in several European and Asian countries. Earned after obtaining a research doctorate, such as a PhD, habilitation requires the candidate to write a professorial thesis based on independent...
in 1989. He then became a guest scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy
Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy
The Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy is located in Bonn, Germany. It is one of 80 institutes in the Max Planck Society .-History:...
in Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
1989-1990 and a guest lecturer at the University of Cologne
University of Cologne
The University of Cologne is one of the oldest universities in Europe and, with over 44,000 students, one of the largest universities in Germany. The university is part of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, an association of Germany's leading research universities...
in 1991. Henning returned to the University of Jena that same year, taking over as managing scientist of the Max Planck Research Unit "Dust in Star-Forming Regions", a post he held until 1996. Henning became a professor at Jena University in 1992.
In 1999, Henning became Chair of Astrophysics at Jena University; a position he was to hold until 2002. At the same time, he became Director of the Astrophysical Institute and of Jena Observatory. The same year, he was chosen as a fellow of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and served as a guest professor at the University of Amsterdam. Between 2000 and 2007, he was co-chair of the DFG
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft is an important German research funding organization and the largest such organization in Europe.-Function:...
research group "Laboratory Astrophysics" in Chemnitz
Chemnitz
Chemnitz is the third-largest city of the Free State of Saxony, Germany. Chemnitz is an independent city which is not part of any county and seat of the government region Direktionsbezirk Chemnitz. Located in the northern foothills of the Ore Mountains, it is a part of the Saxon triangle...
and Jena
Jena
Jena is a university city in central Germany on the river Saale. It has a population of approx. 103,000 and is the second largest city in the federal state of Thuringia, after Erfurt.-History:Jena was first mentioned in an 1182 document...
. Since 2001, Henning is a director and scientific member at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, where he is head of the planetary and star formation department. He retains his professorship at Jena and, in 2003, joined the faculty at Heidelberg University as an honorary professor.
The asteroid
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
30882 has been named "Tomhenning" in his honour.
Work
Henning works in the field of starStar formation
Star formation is the process by which dense parts of molecular clouds collapse into a ball of plasma to form a star. As a branch of astronomy star formation includes the study of the interstellar medium and giant molecular clouds as precursors to the star formation process and the study of young...
and planet formation. One of his areas of specialization is the observation and modelling of protoplanetary diskss around young star
Star
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...
s -- an early stage in the evolution of planetary system
Planetary system
A planetary system consists of the various non-stellar objects orbiting a star such as planets, dwarf planets , asteroids, meteoroids, comets, and cosmic dust...
s. To this end, Henning has also done research on the properties of interstellar dust
Dust
Dust consists of particles in the atmosphere that arise from various sources such as soil dust lifted up by wind , volcanic eruptions, and pollution...
and, more generally, on the physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
and chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
of the interstellar medium
Interstellar medium
In astronomy, the interstellar medium is the matter that exists in the space between the star systems in a galaxy. This matter includes gas in ionic, atomic, and molecular form, dust, and cosmic rays. It fills interstellar space and blends smoothly into the surrounding intergalactic space...
-- both theoretically and using the methods of laboratory astrophysics and observational astronomy. The focus of his observational work is at infrared
Infrared
Infrared light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres , and extending conventionally to 300 µm...
and submillimeter wavelengths.
Throughout his career, Henning has been involved in large cooperative research projects, such as instrument-building for the ESA space telescope Herschel
Herschel Space Observatory
The Herschel Space Observatory is a European Space Agency space observatory sensitive to the far infrared and submillimetre wavebands. It is the largest space telescope ever launched, carrying a single mirror of in diameter....
, for the James Webb Space Telescope
James Webb Space Telescope
The James Webb Space Telescope , previously known as Next Generation Space Telescope , is a planned next-generation space telescope, optimized for observations in the infrared. The main technical features are a large and very cold 6.5 meter diameter mirror, an observing position far from Earth,...
and for the telescopes of the European Southern Observatory
European Southern Observatory
The European Southern Observatory is an intergovernmental research organisation for astronomy, supported by fifteen countries...
; construction of the Large Binocular Telescope
Large Binocular Telescope
Large Binocular Telescope is an optical telescope for astronomy located on Mount Graham in the Pinaleno Mountains of southeastern Arizona, and is a part of the Mount Graham International Observatory...
in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
; the Spitzer
Spitzer Space Telescope
The Spitzer Space Telescope , formerly the Space Infrared Telescope Facility is an infrared space observatory launched in 2003...
Legacy Project "Formation of Planetary Systems", several Herschel legacy projects, the Pan-STARRS
Pan-STARRS
The Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System is a planned array of astronomical cameras and telescopes and computing facility that will survey the sky on a continual basis, including accurate astrometry and photometry of detected objects...
survey and the HAT-South transit network. Henning is a member of several astronomical steering and advisory committees, including the CAHA board, the boards of directors of the LBT
Large Binocular Telescope
Large Binocular Telescope is an optical telescope for astronomy located on Mount Graham in the Pinaleno Mountains of southeastern Arizona, and is a part of the Mount Graham International Observatory...
and of PS1
Pan-STARRS
The Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System is a planned array of astronomical cameras and telescopes and computing facility that will survey the sky on a continual basis, including accurate astrometry and photometry of detected objects...
,and the scientific advisory council of the Thüringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg.
External links
- Journal articles by Thomas Henning in the ADSAstrophysics Data SystemThe Astrophysics Data System , developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration , is an online database of over eight million astronomy and physics papers from both peer reviewed and non-peer reviewed sources...
data base - Works by or about Thomas Henning in the catalogue of the German National Library