description Marc Buie Overview
Marc Buie is an American astronomer affiliated with the Southwest Research Institute, specializing in planetary science and the study of the outer solar system. He is widely recognized for his extensive observations of Pluto and his role on the discovery team that identified two of its small moons, Nix and Hydra, in 2005. Buie's ongoing research focuses on characterizing Kuiper Belt objects and mapping surface compositions to support planetary exploration missions.
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What did Marc Buie discover around Pluto?
Buie was part of the team that identified Pluto's small moons Nix and Hydra in Hubble Space Telescope images from 2005. The discovery showed that the Pluto system contained more than the previously known pair of Pluto and Charon.
Was Marc Buie involved in the New Horizons mission?
Yes. Buie's research supported New Horizons through observations of Pluto and later the Kuiper Belt object Arrokoth. Ground-based stellar-occultation campaigns helped scientists determine Arrokoth's shape and plan the spacecraft encounter.
Where does Marc Buie work?
Buie is an astronomer at the Southwest Research Institute, commonly abbreviated SwRI. His work focuses heavily on Pluto, Kuiper Belt objects, and stellar occultations.
How do Marc Buie's occultation observations study distant objects?
Astronomers measure the brief dimming that occurs when a small Solar System body passes in front of a distant star. Timing that shadow from several locations can reveal the object's size, outline, and possible surrounding material even when the body cannot be directly resolved.
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