David J. Lane (born 1963) is a Canadian astronomer at Saint Mary's University, the past president of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, director of the Burke-Gaffney astronomical observatory,[1] owner of the Abbey-Ridge Observatory,[2] and creator of the planetarium software entitled the Earth Centered Universe.[3] Asteroid 117032 Davidlane is named in his honour, and the asteroid lies in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
David J. Lane | |
|---|---|
| Born | David J. Lane 1963 (age 58–59) |
| Website | www |
Lane created the first software that enables Twitter users to request images of the Universe from an astronomical observatory (i.e., the Burke-Gaffney Observatory).[4] The impetus is to foster awareness of the Universe by enabling citizens to readily access an observatory using social media, a project that has been heralded as an important innovation by international media.[5][6]
Lane, and fellow Canadian astronomer Paul Gray, discovered supernovas 1995F in NGC 2726,[7] SN 2005B in UGC 11066, and 2005ea in MCG+10-16-61.[8] Kathryn Aurora Gray examined images acquired by Lane via his Abbey Ridge Observatory and discovered a supernova in UGC 3378 (SN 2010lt). Kathryn subsequently became the youngest person to have discovered a supernova.[9]
Lane was a featured guest on comet hunter David H. Levy's internet radio show: Let's Talk Stars.[10]
Observations from Lane's astronomical observatory have also been used to improve the cosmic distance ladder.[11]