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Making it Big in Astronomy

(December 19, 2007) In 1977 Jerry Nelson was physicist at UC’s Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, and he was asked to join a group to vision the future of US astronomy. For Nelson it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to design a major apparatus with “cosmic implications.” His work translated into the revolutionary twin 10-meter Keck telescopes. Decades later, Nelson’s gift for devising solutions to large technical challenges continues to make its mark in astronomical innovation.
Science Standards: How Information is Collected and Analyzed; How a Telescope Works