Norio Kaifu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Norio Kaifu
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| 海部宣男 | |
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| Born | 21 September 1943 |
| Died | 13 April 2019 (aged 75) |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Alma mater | University of Tokyo |
| Known for | President of International Astronomical Union from 2012–2015 |
| Awards | Nishina Memorial Prize, 1987
Japan Academy Prize, 1997 Mainichi Book-Review Award, 2011 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Astronomy |
| Institutions | National Astronomical Observatory of Japan |
Norio Kaifu (海部 宣男, Kaifu Norio, 21 September 1943 – 13 April 2019) was a famous Japanese astronomer. He studied space and stars. He was known for leading the International Astronomical Union (IAU) from 2012 to 2015. This is a big group of astronomers from all over the world.
Norio Kaifu also led the Subaru Telescope project. This telescope had the largest single main mirror in the world for a while. He studied many exciting things in space. These included radio astronomy (looking at radio waves from space), distant galaxies, and how stars form. A small planet, 6412 Kaifu, was even named after him!
Sadly, Kaifu passed away on April 13, 2019, when he was 75 years old.
Contents
Norio Kaifu's Journey in Astronomy
Norio Kaifu earned his PhD in radio astronomy from the University of Tokyo in 1972. This means he became an expert in studying radio waves that come from space.
In the 1980s, he worked with astronomers from other countries. He helped set up projects with British astronomers, like the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope. This helped make friends and connections with scientists around the world. He also worked with astronomers in China, South Korea, and Taiwan. Together, they built the East Asian Observatory in 2014.
Kaifu held important jobs at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ). He was the head of the Radio Astronomy Division from 1988 to 1990. He also became an associate director there.
Building the Subaru Telescope
In 1990, Norio Kaifu was asked to join a big project. This project was to build a very large telescope for Japan. He became the first director of the Subaru Telescope. This telescope is still one of the biggest and most powerful telescopes in the world today. It helps scientists see far into space.
From 2000 to 2006, Kaifu was the main director of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. He also led the building of the Nobeyama radio observatory. This was Japan's first big research center for astronomy that many universities could use.
Leading the World of Astronomy
Norio Kaifu also taught at the The Open University of Japan. From 2012 to 2015, he was chosen to be the president of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). This was a very important role in the world of astronomy.
During his life, he wrote over 150 scientific papers and 30 books. He also regularly wrote reviews for a Japanese newspaper.
Amazing Discoveries in Space
Norio Kaifu became well-known for his work in radio spectroscopy. This is a way to study the light and radio waves from space to learn what things are made of.
He helped create special tools called radio spectrometers. These tools helped detect many different molecules in space. He also helped develop a very advanced spectrometer for the Nobeyama 45-meter radio telescope. This tool was much better than others at the time.
Finding Molecules and Black Holes
Using these tools, Kaifu and his team found more than a dozen new molecules in space. Many of these were organic molecules, which are important for life.
His research also helped find the first clear proof of a supermassive black hole at the center of our own galaxy, the Milky Way. This was a huge discovery!
Kaifu also led research on how stars are born. His work helped set the stage for new fields of study. These include directly observing planets outside our solar system (called exoplanets) and understanding how protoplanetary disks (disks of gas and dust around young stars) change over time.
Family Connections
Norio Kaifu had some famous relatives. He was a cousin to Nobel laureate physicist Makoto Kobayashi. A Nobel laureate is someone who has won a Nobel Prize, a very important award. He was also a cousin to Toshiki Kaifu, who was a former prime minister of Japan.
Awards and Honors
- Nishina Memorial Prize (1987) for his work in millimeter astronomy.
- Japan Academy Prize (1997) for his research on interstellar matter (the stuff between stars).
- Mainichi Book-Review Award (2011).
See also
