{"id":32478,"date":"2022-05-20T07:34:34","date_gmt":"2022-05-20T07:34:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/?p=108758"},"modified":"2022-05-20T07:46:10","modified_gmt":"2022-05-20T07:46:10","slug":"the-life-of-eugene-shoemaker","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/rss_feed\/the-life-of-eugene-shoemaker\/","title":{"rendered":"The life of Eugene Shoemaker"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Patrick Moore\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 20 May 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

E<\/span>ugene \u2018Gene\u2019 Shoemaker, widely regarded as the true founder of the science of astrogeology, was born in Los Angeles and received his early education there, but spent much of his life as a resident of Flagstaff in Arizona.<\/span><\/p>\n

He graduated from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) at the age of 19, and became deeply interested in impact craters \u2013 it was he who gave the final proof that the famous Meteor Crater in Arizona is of impact origin rather than volcanic.<\/span><\/p>\n

When he obtained his PhD from the University of Princeton in 1960, his thesis dealt with this crater.<\/span><\/p>\n

Shoemaker\u2019s contributions to the study of the Moon<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
First image of the Moon obtained by a US spacecraft: Ranger 7 on 31 July 1964. Credit: NASA\/JPL-Caltech<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Eugene Shoemaker joined the US Geological Survey (USGS) and played a major role in studies of the results obtained from the Ranger spacecraft, which impacted the Moon.<\/span><\/p>\n

He was selected as a promising candidate for a mission to the Moon but, to his everlasting regret, was ruled out in 1963 when it was found that he suffered from Addison\u2019s Disease.<\/span><\/p>\n

This did not handicap him in everyday life, but there was no question of him going into space.<\/span><\/p>\n

He headed a team concerned with lunar mapping and geology \u2013 a team with which I had the honour of being a member.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
The Hubble Space Telescope captured this image of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 on May 17, 1994.\u00a0Credit: NASA, ESA, and H. Weaver and E. Smith (STScI)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

For many years he combined his teaching at Caltech with astrogeological studies, and he also took part in observational work, searching for comets and near-Earth asteroids.<\/span><\/p>\n

He was joined in this by his wife, Carolyn (n\u00e9e Spellman), whom he had married when he was 23.<\/span><\/p>\n

They were devoted to each other as well as being close scientific partners.<\/span><\/p>\n

His other main observing associates were Eleanor \u2018Glo\u2019 Helin and David Levy. <\/span><\/p>\n

Their best-known discovery, in 1993, was that of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9<\/a>, which Carolyn initially described as \u201ca squashed comet\u201d and which hit Jupiter in 1994, leaving impact remnants which could still be traced many months later.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Four images of Jupiter and the impact of fragment W of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, captured by the Galileo spacecraft on 22 July 1994 from a distance of 238 million km from Jupiter. Credit: NASA\/JPL<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

In 1997 the Shoemakers were in Australia carrying out studies of impact craters together.<\/span><\/p>\n

On 18 July they were driving along a road close to the town of Alice Springs when they were involved in a head-on collision with another car.<\/span><\/p>\n

Eugene was killed instantly; Carolyn survived, though she was badly injured.<\/span><\/p>\n

The news came as a tremendous shock to all those who had known him or known of him; he must have been one of the few people who had many friends and no enemies.<\/span><\/p>\n

I am proud to have been counted as one of his friends. There has never been anyone quite like him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Eugene Shoemaker discussing the comet that crashed into Jupiter, NASA Goddard Space Institute, 18 July 1994. Credit: NASA\/Liaison<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Eugene Shoemaker\u2019s awards and honours<\/strong><\/h2>\n

During his lifetime Eugene Shoemaker received the highest honours that the scientific world could bestow, including:<\/span><\/p>\n

  • Wetherill Medal of the Franklin Institute (1965)<\/span><\/li>\n
  • GK Gilbert Award of the Geological Society of America (1983)<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Kuiper Prize of the American Astronomical Society (1984)<\/span><\/li>\n
  • US National Medal for Science (1992)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>

    Eugene Shoemaker\u2019s ashes were taken to the Moon in the Lunar Prospector spacecraft and scattered on the lunar surface.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Three impact craters are named after him \u2013 one on Earth, one on the Moon and one on Eros.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Timeline: Eugene Shoemaker\u2019s life<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    • 28 April 1928<\/b>. Born in Los Angeles, California<\/li>\n
    • 1947<\/b> Graduates from Caltech<\/li>\n
    • 1948<\/b> Explores uranium deposits in Colorado and Utah, and begins to study astrogeology<\/li>\n
    • 1951<\/b> Marries Carolyn Spellman<\/li>\n
    • 1954<\/b> Obtains Master\u2019s degree from Caltech<\/li>\n
    • 1960<\/b> Gains PhD from Princeton University<\/li>\n
    • 1961<\/b> Takes a leading role in studies of the Ranger Moon missions<\/span><\/li>\n
    • 1963<\/b> Diagnosed with Addison\u2019s disease<\/li>\n
    • 1965<\/b> Becomes chief scientist at the new US Center for Astrogeology<\/li>\n
    • 1969<\/b> Returns to Caltech as Professor of Geology<\/li>\n
    • 1983<\/b> The first of his 32 comet discoveries<\/li>\n
    • 1985<\/b> Retires from Caltech but accepts an emeritus position<\/li>\n
    • 1993<\/b> Co-discoverer of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9<\/li>\n
    • 18 July 1997<\/b> Killed in a car accident at Alice Springs, Australia<\/li>\n
    • 1998<\/b> Shoemaker\u2019s ashes are scattered on the lunar surface<\/li>\n<\/ul>

      This guide originally appeared in the July 2007 issue of <\/strong><\/em>BBC Sky at Night Magazine<\/strong>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p><\/body><\/html>\n

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      By Patrick Moore Published: Friday, 20 May 2022 at 12:00 am Eugene \u2018Gene\u2019 Shoemaker, widely regarded as the true founder of the science of astrogeology, was born in Los Angeles and received his early education there, but spent much of his life as a resident of Flagstaff in Arizona. He graduated from the California Institute […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":32479,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"4"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2022\/05\/the-life-of-eugene-shoemaker.jpg",1200,800,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2022\/05\/the-life-of-eugene-shoemaker-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2022\/05\/the-life-of-eugene-shoemaker-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2022\/05\/the-life-of-eugene-shoemaker-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2022\/05\/the-life-of-eugene-shoemaker-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2022\/05\/the-life-of-eugene-shoemaker.jpg",1200,800,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2022\/05\/the-life-of-eugene-shoemaker.jpg",1200,800,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Patrick Moore Published: Friday, 20 May 2022 at 12:00 am Eugene \u2018Gene\u2019 Shoemaker, widely regarded as the true founder of the science of astrogeology, was born in Los Angeles and received his early education there, but spent much of his life as a resident of Flagstaff in Arizona. He graduated from the California Institute…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/32478"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32479"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32478"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32478"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}