Jane Luu facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jane Lưu
Born	July 1963 (age 62) Saigon, Vietnam
Alma mater	Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Known for	Discovery of the Kuiper belt
Spouse(s)	Ronnie Hoogerwerf
Awards	Annie J. Cannon Award in Astronomy (1991) Shaw Prize (2012) Kavli Prize (2012)
Scientific career
Fields	Astronomy, Astrophysics, Engineering
Institutions	Harvard University, Lincoln Laboratory at MIT, Tufts University, University of Oslo
Thesis	Physical Studies of Primitive Solar System Bodies (1992)
Doctoral advisor	David C. Jewitt

Jane X. Luu (born in July 1963) is a brilliant Vietnamese-American astronomer. She is also a defense systems engineer. She is famous for helping discover the Kuiper Belt. This is a huge area beyond Neptune filled with icy objects. In 2012, she won the Kavli Prize for this amazing discovery. She shared the prize with David C. Jewitt and Michael E. Brown. Their work helped us understand how our Solar System formed.

Jane Luu moved to the United States in 1975. Her family settled in Kentucky. She was a top student in high school. She then earned a scholarship to Stanford University. There, she studied physics and got her degree in 1984. After college, she worked at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This experience made her want to study astronomy even more.

Discovering the Kuiper Belt

When Jane was a graduate student, she studied at the University of California, Berkeley and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her main project was to find connections between asteroids and comets. She teamed up with David C. Jewitt. Together, they searched for objects in a mysterious part of space. This area was called the Kuiper Belt. Many scientists thought it was empty.

After five years of hard work, they made a huge discovery in 1992. They found the first object in the Kuiper Belt. It was not Pluto or its moon Charon. They used a powerful telescope in Hawaii. This new object was named 15760 Albion. Jane and David playfully called it "Smiley." This discovery changed how we see our Solar System.

For her important work, Jane received the Annie J. Cannon Award in Astronomy in 1991. She also earned a special Hubble Fellowship in 1992. An asteroid is even named after her: 5430 Luu. She completed her PhD in 1992.

Jane's Career in Science

After getting her PhD, Jane became a professor. She taught at Harvard University starting in 1994. She also taught at Leiden University in the Netherlands. Later, Jane came back to the United States. She joined Lincoln Laboratory at MIT. There, she worked as a Senior Scientist. Her work involved creating special tools and systems. These systems help with important safety and defense projects. For example, she helped develop lidar systems. Lidar uses light to measure distances and create maps.

In 2004, Jane and David Jewitt made another exciting discovery. They found frozen water on an object called Quaoar. Quaoar was then the biggest known object in the Kuiper Belt. They also found signs of ammonia hydrate. They thought this ice might have been hidden underground. It probably came to the surface after a space collision.

In 2012, Jane received two more big awards. She won the Shaw Prize with David Jewitt. This prize was for finding and studying objects beyond Neptune. These objects are like clues from when our Solar System first formed. She also shared the Kavli Prize again. This was for her work on the Kuiper Belt. These awards celebrate her huge impact on astronomy.

Life Outside of Astronomy

Jane Luu loves to travel and explore. She has even worked with Save the Children in Nepal. She enjoys many outdoor activities. She also plays the cello, a beautiful musical instrument. Jane met her husband, Ronnie Hoogerwerf, in the Netherlands. He is also an astronomer! They have a child together.

Awards and Recognition

Jane Luu has received many important awards for her work:

• 1991: Annie J. Cannon Award in Astronomy
• 2012: Shaw Prize in Astronomy
• 2012: Kavli Prize in Astrophysics
• An asteroid was named after her in 1996: 5430 Luu.
• She is also a special member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.

See also

In Spanish: Jane Luu para niños