[mushy-stuff]
In 1978, an engineer doing solar heliography at Stanford published a paper in Nature describing a method whereby an array (or pair) of telescopes might be employed to discover extra-solar planets using what is now known as nulling interferometry....http://olbin.jpl.nasa.gov/papers/nulling.html
At the time, his son was living in what might be described as a hippie commune about 2 or 3 miles from our beloved Monte Bello ridge. Having grown up with a radio astronomer he of course wanted nothing to do with it and pursued music...
It's a small world. Michael Swartz opened my eyes to the passion and excitement of solar observing, and I credit him with giving me an insight into the furnace that warms my fathers soul. I had dinner with my Dad tonight, he's 83 and sharp as a tack and all I can say is boy am I proud and glad I got to know this side of him thanks in part to TAC.
[/mushy-stuff]
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From: sf-bay-tac-bounces@seds.org on behalf of Jeff Crilly
Sent: Fri 8/27/2004 9:26 PM
To: tacos
Subject: [TAC] exoplanets...
Something going on with exoplanet discovery...
news on tuesday, 8/31...
http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/webcasts/ssu_0804.html