Luisa Rebull

Last updated
Luisa Rebull
NationalityAmerican
Alma mater College of William and Mary, UChicago
Known forResearch on low-mass stars
Scientific career
FieldsAstrophysics
Institutions IPAC-Caltech
Doctoral advisor Douglas Duncan

Luisa Rebull is an American astrophysicist and a senior research scientist at IPAC-Caltech. In addition, she is the director of the NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP), formerly the Spitzer Space Telescope Program for Teachers and Students, and a communications and testing lead at the Infrared Science Archive (IRSA). [1]

Contents

Rebull has more than 500 published papers. [2] Her work centers on formation and chemical evolution of low-mass stars with a focus on the rotation and accretion of their disks. [3]

Early life and education

In elementary school, she recalled feeling out of place for being interested in engineering, especially as she was the only girl in her class who was interested in LEGOs. [4]

Rebull received a bachelor's degree in physics from the College of William and Mary in 1992. She then went on to obtain her master's from UChicago in astronomy and astrophysics in 1993. At Chicago, she received her Ph.D. in astronomy and astrophysics in 2000 under the guidance of Douglas K. Duncan. She then joined NASA and completed her postdoctoral studies as a National Research Council fellow at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory from 2000-2002 before working for IPAC full-time. [5]

Career and research

Rebull's research focused on the rotation of young stars in the Orion Nebula Cluster. [6] She has primarily expanded on this work at NASA with the help of the Spitzer Space Telescope. The Spitzer Telescope was built to detect infrared radiation and was the first to detect light from a planet outside of the solar system. [7] Rebull and her team have used Spitzer extensively to conduct their observations of young stars and their chemical abundances.[ citation needed ]

In 2011, Rebull's team used Spitzer to capture a comprehensive image of the North American nebula. In doing so, they were able to identify 2000 new stars in this particular region, and also captured the process of star formation. [8]

Spitzer went out of commission on January 30, 2020, but its focus on infrared light has led to multiple observations of galaxies and stars forming. [9]

Rebull's work also focuses on democratizing astronomical data at the IRSA. [10] As a part of this role, she writes documentation and tests software that streamlines usage and simplifies access to this data. [11]

Outreach

In graduate school, she founded an organization, the Chicago Public Schools/University of Chicago Internet Project, or CUIP, that brought the internet to 29 schools in urban Chicago. As a part of this program, she also co-founded an initiative to incorporate resources from the internet to curricula in secondary schools. [12]

After joining NASA, she was soon onboarded to NITARP. In this program, teachers are partnered with a professional astronomer to conduct original research with astronomical data and present their work at the American Astronomical Society. Teachers are also encouraged to involve their students throughout the entire period of the program (13 months). [13]

Awards

Rebull has received multiple accolades for her work in community service. In 1997, she was a recipient of the 1997 University of Chicago President's Service Award. [14] In addition, in 1998, she was presented with the Donald E. MacMinn Award for Service Beyond the Walls of the University (UChicago). [15]

Rebull has also received awards on behalf of NITARP. Her team received the NASA Group Achievement award in 2007 for "for significant contributions to Education and Public Outreach and for an outstanding performance in developing and implementing the Spitzer Space Telescope observing program." NITARP also received the NASA Group Achievement Award in 2011 "for inspiring teachers and future scientists through participation in actual astronomical research collaborations." [16]

Selected publications

Related Research Articles

Infrared astronomy is a sub-discipline of astronomy which specializes in the observation and analysis of astronomical objects using infrared (IR) radiation. The wavelength of infrared light ranges from 0.75 to 300 micrometers, and falls in between visible radiation, which ranges from 380 to 750 nanometers, and submillimeter waves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orion Nebula</span> Diffuse nebula in the constellation Orion

The Orion Nebula is a diffuse nebula situated in the Milky Way, being south of Orion's Belt in the constellation of Orion,[b] and is known as the middle "star" in the "sword" of Orion. It is one of the brightest nebulae and is visible to the naked eye in the night sky with an apparent magnitude of 4.0. It is 1,344 ± 20 light-years (412.1 ± 6.1 pc) away and is the closest region of massive star formation to Earth. The M42 nebula is estimated to be 24 light-years across. It has a mass of about 2,000 times that of the Sun. Older texts frequently refer to the Orion Nebula as the Great Nebula in Orion or the Great Orion Nebula.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 2264</span> Open cluster in the constellation Monoceros

NGC 2264 is the designation number of the New General Catalogue that identifies two astronomical objects as a single object: the Cone Nebula, and the Christmas Tree Cluster. Two other objects are within this designation but not officially included, the Snowflake Cluster, and the Fox Fur Nebula. All of the objects are located in the Monoceros constellation and are located about 720 parsecs or 2,300 light-years from Earth. Due to its relative proximity and large size, it is extremely well-studied. NGC 2264 is sometimes referred to as the Christmas Tree Cluster and the Cone Nebula. However, the designation of NGC 2264 in the New General Catalogue refers to both objects and not the cluster alone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Proplyd</span> Dust ring surrounding large stars thousands of solar radii wide

A proplyd, short for ionized protoplanetary disk, is an externally illuminated photoevaporating protoplanetary disk around a young star. Nearly 180 proplyds have been discovered in the Orion Nebula. Images of proplyds in other star-forming regions are rare, while Orion is the only region with a large known sample due to its relative proximity to Earth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 604</span> H II region inside the Triangulum Galaxy

NGC 604 is an H II region inside the Triangulum Galaxy. It was discovered by William Herschel on September 11, 1784. It is among the largest H II regions in the Local Group of galaxies; at the galaxy's estimated distance of 2.7 million light-years, its longest diameter is roughly 1,520 light years (~460 parsecs), over 40 times the size of the visible portion of the Orion Nebula. It is over 6,300 times more luminous than the Orion Nebula, and if it were at the same distance it would outshine Venus. Its gas is ionized by a cluster of massive stars at its center with 200 stars of spectral type O and WR, a mass of 105 solar masses, and an age of 3.5 million years; however, unlike the Large Magellanic Cloud's Tarantula Nebula central cluster (R136), NGC 604's one is much less compact and more similar to a large stellar association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IRAS</span> Infrared space observatory

The Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) was the first space telescope to perform a survey of the entire night sky at infrared wavelengths. Launched on 25 January 1983, its mission lasted ten months. The telescope was a joint project of the United States (NASA), the Netherlands (NIVR), and the United Kingdom (SERC). Over 250,000 infrared sources were observed at 12, 25, 60, and 100 micrometer wavelengths.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spitzer Space Telescope</span> Infrared space telescope (2003–2020)

The Spitzer Space Telescope, formerly the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF), was an infrared space telescope launched in 2003, that was deactivated when operations ended on 30 January 2020. Spitzer was the third space telescope dedicated to infrared astronomy, following IRAS (1983) and ISO (1995–1998). It was the first spacecraft to use an Earth-trailing orbit, later used by the Kepler planet-finder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eagle Nebula</span> Open cluster in the constellation Serpens

The Eagle Nebula is a young open cluster of stars in the constellation Serpens, discovered by Jean-Philippe de Cheseaux in 1745–46. Both the "Eagle" and the "Star Queen" refer to visual impressions of the dark silhouette near the center of the nebula, an area made famous as the "Pillars of Creation" imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope. The nebula contains several active star-forming gas and dust regions, including the aforementioned Pillars of Creation. The Eagle Nebula lies in the Sagittarius Arm of the Milky Way.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North America Nebula</span> Emission nebula in the constellation Cygnus

The North America Nebula is an emission nebula in the constellation Cygnus, close to Deneb. It is named because its shape resembles North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Messier 78</span> Reflection nebula in the constellation of Orion

Messier 78 or M78, also known as NGC 2068, is a reflection nebula in the constellation Orion. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1780 and included by Charles Messier in his catalog of comet-like objects that same year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sh 2-279</span> Emission nebula in the constellation Orion

Sh 2-279 is an HII region and bright nebulae that includes a reflection nebula located in the constellation Orion. It is the northernmost part of the asterism known as Orion's Sword, lying 0.6° north of the Orion Nebula. The reflection nebula embedded in Sh 2-279 is popularly known as the Running Man Nebula.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Infrared Processing and Analysis Center</span> NASA science center at Caltech in the US

The Infrared Processing and Analysis Center (IPAC) provides science operations, data management, data archives and community support for astronomy and planetary science missions. IPAC has a historical emphasis on infrared-submillimeter astronomy and exoplanet science. IPAC has supported NASA, NSF and privately funded projects and missions. It is located on the campus of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California.

Doris Daou is a Lebanese-born Canadian-American astronomer who was formerly the Director for Education and Public Outreach of the NASA Lunar Science Institute and the associate director of the NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI), and is currently the program contact for NASA's "Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx)".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 2174</span> Emission nebula in the constellation Orion

NGC 2174 is an H II emission nebula located in the constellation Orion and is associated with the open star cluster NGC 2175. It was discovered on 6 February 1877 by French astronomer Édouard Stephan. It is thought to be located about 6,400 light-years away from Earth. The nebula may have formed through hierarchical collapse.

<i>Pillars of Creation</i> Astrophotograph by the Hubble Space Telescope

Pillars of Creation is a photograph taken by the Hubble Space Telescope of elephant trunks of interstellar gas and dust in the Eagle Nebula, in the Serpens constellation, some 6,500–7,000 light-years from Earth. These elephant trunks had been discovered by John Charles Duncan in 1920 on a plate made with the Mount Wilson Observatory 60-inch telescope. They are so named because the gas and dust are in the process of creating new stars, while also being eroded by the light from nearby stars that have recently formed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 1333</span> Reflection nebula in the constellation Perseus

NGC 1333 is a reflection nebula located in the northern constellation Perseus, positioned next to the southern constellation border with Taurus and Aries. It was first discovered by German astronomer Eduard Schönfeld in 1855. The nebula is visible as a hazy patch in a small telescope, while a larger aperture will show a pair of dark nebulae designated Barnard 1 and Barnard 2. It is associated with a dark cloud L1450. Estimates of the distance to this nebula range from 980–1,140 ly (300–350 pc).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IC 5146</span> Reflection nebula in the constellation Cygnus

IC 5146 is a reflection/emission nebula and Caldwell object in the constellation Cygnus. The NGC description refers to IC 5146 as a cluster of 9.5 mag stars involved in a bright and dark nebula. The cluster is also known as Collinder 470. It shines at magnitude +10.0/+9.3/+7.2. Its celestial coordinates are RA 21h 53.5m, dec +47° 16′. It is located near the naked-eye star Pi Cygni, the open cluster NGC 7209 in Lacerta, and the bright open cluster M39. The cluster is about 4,000 ly away, and the central star that lights it formed about 100,000 years ago; the nebula is about 12 arcmins across, which is equivalent to a span of 15 light years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RCW 79</span> Nebula in the constellation Centaurus

RCW 79 is an emission nebula in the constellation Centaurus.

Sarah Connoran Gallagher is a professor of astronomy at the University of Western Ontario, where her research focuses on active galaxies, black holes and compact galaxy groups. From 2018 to 2022, she also served as Science Advisor to the Canadian Space Agency.

References

  1. ↑ "Luisa M. Rebull". IPAC-Caltech.
  2. ↑ "Luisa Rebull". scholar.google.com. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
  3. ↑ "Alumni: Luisa M. Rebull, 2000". astro.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
  4. ↑ Rebull, Luisa. "Luisa Rebull". The Planetary Society.
  5. ↑ "Luisa Rebull". 1400 Degrees. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
  6. ↑ "Rotation of young low-mass stars in the Orion Nebula Cluster flanking fields".
  7. ↑ "Spitzer Space Telescope". NASA.
  8. ↑ Atkinson, Nancy (10 February 2011). "Spitzer's Stunning New View of the North American Nebula".
  9. ↑ Bartels, Meghan (22 January 2020). "It's time to say goodbye to NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. Here's why". SPACE.com.
  10. ↑ "Luisa Rebull". Underline.
  11. ↑ "Luisa's talk on Careers for the Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey". YouTube . 26 January 2021.
  12. ↑ "The start-up connection: Du Sable High School". University of Chicago Chronicle.
  13. ↑ Rebull, Luisa. "NITARP seeks educators for NASA astronomy research".
  14. ↑ "Volunteerism thriving among students". University of Chicago Chronicle.
  15. ↑ "Beyond expectations: Astronomy students honored". University of Chicago Chronicle.
  16. ↑ "NITARP".
  17. ↑ Rebull, L. M.; Anderson, R. L.; Hall, G.; Kirkpatrick, J. D.; Koenig, X.; Odden, C. E.; Rodriguez, B.; Sanchez, R.; Senson, B.; Urbanowski, V.; Austin, M.; Blood, K.; Kerman, E.; Long, J.; Roosa, N. (2023). "Young Stellar Object Candidates in IC 417". The Astronomical Journal. 166 (3). The SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System: 87. arXiv: 2306.03728 . Bibcode:2023AJ....166...87R. doi: 10.3847/1538-3881/ace32f .
  18. ↑ "Rotation of young low-mass stars in the Orion Nebula Cluster flanking fields". IPAC Caltech.
  19. ↑ "A Catalog of Point Sources Toward NGC 1333". IPAC Caltech.
  20. ↑ Carey, S. J.; Noriega-Crespo, A.; Mizuno, D. R.; Shenoy, S.; Paladini, R.; Kraemer, K. E.; Price, S. D.; Flagey, N.; Ryan, E.; Ingalls, J. G.; Kuchar, T. A.; Pinheiro Gonçalves, Daniela; Indebetouw, R.; Billot, N.; Marleau, F. R.; Padgett, D. L.; Rebull, L. M.; Bressert, E.; Ali, Babar; Molinari, S.; Martin, P. G.; Berriman, G. B.; Boulanger, F.; Latter, W. B.; Miville-Deschenes, M. A.; Shipman, R.; Testi, L. (2009). "MIPSGAL: A Survey of the Inner Galactic Plane at 24 and 70 μm". Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. 121 (875). IOPscience: 76–97. Bibcode:2009PASP..121...76C. doi:10.1086/596581.
  21. ↑ Rieke, G. H.; et al. (2004). "The Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer (MIPS)". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 154 (1): 25–29. Bibcode:2004ApJS..154...25R. doi:10.1086/422717.
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