Geoffrey Marcy is famous for discovering more extrasolar planets than anyone else, 70 out of the first 100 to be discovered, along with R. Paul Butler and Debra Fischer. He also confirmed Michel Mayor's discovery of the extrasolar planet 51 Pegasi b. Other achievements have included discovering the first multiple planet system around a star similar to our own (Upsilon Andromedae), the first transiting planet around another star (HD209458b), the first extrasolar planet orbiting beyond 5 AU (55 Cancri d), and co-discovered the first Neptune-sized planets (Gliese 436b and 55 Cancri e). He continues to discover and co-discover more every year.

Background

Marcy received a Bachelor of Arts double major in physics and astronomy at UCLA and graduated Summa Cum Laude in 1976. He then went on to the University of California, Santa Cruz for a PhD in Astrophysics, which he received in 1982.

He then held teaching positions, first at the Carnegie Institute of Washington as a Carnegie Fellow from 1982 to 1984, then as an associate professor of physics and astronomy from 1984 to 1996, and then as a Distinguished University Professor from 1997 to 1999, both at San Francisco State University.

Marcy lives with his wife Susan in California and currently teaches courses at UC Berkeley and San Francisco State University as an adjunct professor of physics and astronomy and a professor of astronomy respectively.

See also

• R. Paul Butler
• Debra Fischer
• List of stars with confirmed planets

External Links

• Background on Geoff Marcy