Richard P. Binzel | |
|---|---|
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| Born | 1958 (age 66–67) |
| Citizenship | US |
| Occupation(s) | Planetary science,astronomy |
| Organization | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Known for | Torino Scale |
Richard "Rick" P. Binzel (born 1958) is an Americanastronomer and professor ofplanetary sciences at theMassachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He is adiscoverer of minor planets, photometrist and the inventor of theTorino Scale, a method for categorizing the impact hazard associated withnear-Earth objects such asasteroids andcomets.[1][2] He is also a frequent trip leader for the MIT Alumni Association.
| 11868 Kleinrichert | October 2, 1989 | cite |
| 13014 Hasslacher | November 17, 1987 | cite |
| 29196 Dius | December 19, 1990 | list |
Binzel was awarded theH. C. Urey Prize by theAmerican Astronomical Society in 1991. He also was awarded a "MacVicar Faculty Fellowship"[4] for teaching excellence at MIT in 1994. He is a co-investigator on theOSIRIS-REx mission.
Binzel was on the "Planet Definition Committee"[5] that developed the proposal to theInternational Astronomical Union's meeting inPrague in 2006 on whetherPluto should be considered aplanet. Their proposal was revised during the meeting andPluto is now considered adwarf planet. However, Richard Binzel has strong feelings contrary to this collective decision and would prefer for Pluto to still be classified as having full planet status.
Binzel is an editor of the booksSeventy-five years of Hirayama asteroid families : the role of collisions in the Solar System historyISBN 0-937707-82-1 andAsteroids IIISBN 0-8165-1123-3. He is General Editor of theUniversity of Arizona Space Science Series.
Richard Binzel assists his family in raisingguide dog puppies forGuiding Eyes for the Blind. His favorite dog was their fourth, Skyler.[citation needed] He is also a frequent leader with the MIT Alumni Association.
The main-belt asteroid2873 Binzel, discovered byEdward Bowell atAnderson Mesa Station, was named in his honor.[1]
