Max Pettini

{{Short description|British astronomer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

Max Pettini (born 15 June 1949) is a professor of observational astronomy at the Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge.[http://hcr3.isiknowledge.com/author.cgi?id=2798 Pettini, Max] at ISIHighlyCited.com

Pettini was born in Rome but studied for a BSc in physics then a PhD in astrophysics at University College London. He has worked in the UK ever since, apart from four years at the Anglo-Australian Observatory in Epping, New South Wales from 1987 to 1991, and has British citizenship.

His early research obtained observational evidence that verified a prediction that our galaxy is surrounded by a halo of hot ionised gas.

Pettini was awarded the Herschel Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 2008. In May 2010, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.{{cite web|title=Royal Society announces new Fellows|date=24 May 2010|accessdate=2011-01-20|url=http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/news/dp/2010052101|publisher=Royal Society}}