John Maclean FRAS (Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society) FRGS (Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
I am an astronomer, astrophotographer and lecturer on Astronomy, Astrophysics and Planetary and Lunar Science. My main interest is in Deep Space Imaging of Galaxies and Nebulae, asteroids and comets. I am a member of the NASA Comet Ison Observation Campaign and the PACA Project which studies cometary science. I am also interested in Solar Astronomy and use special telescopes to view and image the Sun, capturing sunspots and solar flares. As a part of the Global Meteor Network and the UK Monitoring Network I capture and analyze data on meteors that appear over UK skies.
I am also cruise ship speaker for major cruise lines including Cunard, Viking, P&O and SAGA.
As a STEM Ambassador I help to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics to students in schools, colleges and Universities.
My background is Military, having served 25 years in the Royal Air Force specialising in Electronics, IT and Communications Satellites.
I am an agent for the important NEOShield-2 asteroid deflection project! Do I get a badge and a secret weapon, I wonder?
I am also UK Ambassador for the NASA OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission and can deliver talks about the mission for your organisation.
OSIRIS-REx seeks answers to the questions that are central to the human experience: Where did we come from? What is our destiny? Asteroids, the leftover debris from the solar system formation process, can answer these questions and teach us about the history of the sun and planets.
The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is traveling to Bennu, a carbonaceous asteroid whose regolith may record the earliest history of our solar system. Bennu may contain the molecular precursors to the origin of life and the Earth’s oceans. Bennu is also one of the most potentially hazardous asteroids, as it has a relatively high probability of impacting the Earth late in the 22nd century. OSIRIS-REx will determine Bennu’s physical and chemical properties, which will be critical to know in the event of an impact mitigation mission. Finally, asteroids like Bennu contain natural resources such as water, organics, and precious metals. In the future, these asteroids may one day fuel the exploration of the solar system by robotic and manned spacecraft.
For the latest OSIRIS-REx news http://www.asteroidmission.org
2019 has started well with speaking trips to China, Japan and South Korea as well as two trips to the Canaries another to the Caribbean and the first of two trips to Alaska.
2018 was a busy year with cruise engagements in the Canaries, Middle East, Far East, India, Sri Lanka and Greece.
Earlier in April 2017 I completed another successful lecture trip that took in Tasmania, Australia, Borneo, Vietnam and China, on board the beautiful Queen Mary 2. Topics included: Asteroids,Comets and Meteors, Journey through the Solar System, Bang! There goes the Universe and Hello? Is anyone out there. The lectures were well received and generated many questions and discussions. Here’s to the next time!
Apollo 15 CM Pilot Al Worden
In February/March I completed another lecture trip from Chile to Australia via Easter Island, Tahiti, Moorea, New Zealand and Sydney. Ten well attended talks on a variety of Astronomy and Astrophysics topics.
Had a very successful lecturing trip on the Queen Mary 2 to New Zealand and Australia in March 2015. Visited the wonderful Sydney Observatory and University of New South Wales for a talk on the SKA and Dark Matter by Dr. Lisa Harvey-Smith.
I am available to give talks to schools, colleges, societies and astronomy/space events. I can deliver talks and lectures on various astronomy and space topics such as: The Solar System, Galaxies, Nebulae and Black Holes, The Apollo Missions, Near Earth Objects (OMG we’re all going to die!), Is anybody out there? and many more. Please email astro (at) exeterobservatory.com for details.