A Survey of Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud – Brian May
The Zodiacal Light, that misty diffuse cone of light seen in the West after Sunset and the East before Sunrise, is a beautiful and intriguing phenomenon. Even though everyone can enjoy the sight from a suitably dark location, it is poorly understood, and has been the subject of relatively little research. Brian May began his research into the subject in 1970, and was finally awarded his PhD in 2007, after a hiatus of more than 30 years pursuing his other career as guitarist with his rock band Queen. This book is Brian’s thesis, and as such presents the results of his research for astronomers.
Reviews
“The Queen guitarist Brian May has achieved a new milestone: he has published his PhD thesis in astronomy. … Entitled A Survey of Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud, his thesis analyses what happens to the dust particles left over from the formation of the solar system about 4.6 billion years ago. … Mike Lockwood, a physics professor at Southampton University, said May’s work was timely … . Brian Cox, a physics professor at Manchester University, applauded May’s tenacity. … That’s hugely impressive.” (Jonathan Leake and Robert Watts, Times Online, August, 2008)
2007 215 pages, Hard covers, colour throughout
978-0-387-77705-4, £43.99
