Dr. Brian May, PhD...?

May Looks To Sky To Complete PhD

Guitarist Brian May is to spend two days studying the night sky in the Canary Islands as he completes the PhD he abandoned in 1971 to join Queen.

May is going to La Palma to observe the formation of "zodiacal dust clouds".

The subject forms the basis of a thesis for London's Imperial College, where he had been studying before deciding to pursue a career with the rock group.

The 60-year-old recently published a book on astronomy with The Sky at Night presenter Sir Patrick Moore.

May is basing himself at the Observatory of the Roque de Los Muchachos on the island of La Palma.

A statement issued on behalf of the facility said he had chosen this location because of the "quality of the sky" and the opportunity to use a 3.6-metre optical telescope, "which allows astronomers to study extremely faint objects".

May is also preparing a concert to mark the inauguration of another telescope at the observatory.

He will present his thesis, which he has been preparing for across much of the past year, to Imperial College "within a fortnight".

A number of academics will question him about his work before any doctorate is awarded, a spokeswoman said.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/entertainment/6912307.stm

Published: 2007/07/23 15:27:30 GMT

© BBC MMVII


Queen Star Hands In Science PhD

Queen guitarist Brian May has handed in his astronomy PhD thesis - 36 years after abandoning it to join the band.

May recently carried out observational work in Tenerife, where he studied the formation of "zodiacal dust clouds".

The subject forms the basis of a thesis for London's Imperial College, where May, 60, had been studying before deciding to pursue a career with Queen.

The musician may have to wait several weeks before he finds out if he will be awarded his doctorate.

"I have no doubt that Brian May would have had a brilliant career in science had he completed his PhD in 1971," said astrophysicist Dr Garik Israelian, who worked with May in La Palma in Tenerife.

"Nevertheless, as a fan of Queen, I am glad that he left science temporarily," he added.

May handed in the thesis, called Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud, to Imperial's head of astrophysics Professor Paul Nandra.

He is scheduled to discuss his thesis with the examining board on 23 August, his spokesman said. The results should be known some time shortly after that date.

The rock star is also preparing a concert to mark the inauguration of a telescope at the Observatory of the Roque de Los Muchachos in La Palma, where he completed his studies last month.

May made his first astronomical observations for his thesis at the Observatorio del Teide in Tenerife in 1971, before his rock career took off.

He recently published a book on astronomy with The Sky at Night presenter Sir Patrick Moore.


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/entertainment/6929290.stm

Published: 2007/08/03 15:08:56 GMT

© BBC MMVII