Merri Sue Carter

{{Short description|American astronomer}}

{{Use mdy dates|cs1-dates=ly|date=May 2022}}

{{Use list-defined references|date=May 2022}}

Merri Sue Carter (born 1964) is an American astronomer who works at the United States Naval Observatory as director of the World Data Center for the Rotation of the Earth, Washington. She is also the author of books on the history of astronomy with her father, geodesist William E. Carter.

Education and career

Carter was born on November 16, 1964, in Columbus, Ohio,{{r|encyc}} where her father, William E. Carter, was studying geodesy at Ohio State University. He became a research geodesist for the United States Air Force, the University of Hawaii, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the family moved frequently as Carter was growing up.{{r|wec}}

She graduated from University of Maryland, College Park in 1986, and earned a master's degree in 1999 through University of Maryland University College. She has been an astronomer at the United States Naval Observatory since 1986.{{r|encyc}} There, she directs the World Data Center for the Rotation of the Earth, Washington, which coordinates data for the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service.{{r|encyc|wdc}}

Books

With her father, Carter is the author of:

  • Latitude: How American Astronomers Solved the Mystery of Variation (Naval Institute Press, 2002), on the Chandler wobble{{r|latitude}}
  • Simon Newcomb: America's Unofficial Astronomer Royal (Mantanzas Publishing, 2006), a biography of Simon Newcomb{{r|newcomb}}

References

{{reflist|refs=

{{citation|url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/carter-merri-sue-1964|title=Carter, Merri Sue 1964–|work=Encyclopedia.com|access-date=2022-06-09}}

Reviews of Latitude:

  • {{citation

| last = Dick | first = Steven J.

| date = April 2003

| issue = 1

| journal = International Journal of Naval History

| title = Review

| url = https://www.ijnhonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/review_dick_pdf_apr03.pdf

| volume = 2}}

  • {{citation

| last = Good | first = Gregory A.

| issue = 2

| journal = Earth Sciences History

| jstor = 24138782

| pages = 230–232

| title = none

| volume = 22

| year = 2003}}

  • {{citation

| last = Matthews | first = Barry

| bibcode = 2004JRASC..98..136.

| date = June 2004

| issue = 3

| journal = Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada

| page = 138

| title = Review

| url = https://www.rasc.ca/sites/default/files/publications/JRASC-2004-06.pdf

| volume = 98}}

  • {{citation

| last = Ray | first = Richard D.

| doi = 10.1029/2003eo240008

| issue = 24

| journal = Eos

| page = 229

| publisher = American Geophysical Union

| title = none

| volume = 84

| year = 2003| doi-access = free

}}

  • {{citation

| last = Rothenberg | first = Marc

| date = April 2004

| doi = 10.1353/tech.2004.0090

| issue = 2

| journal = Technology and Culture

| jstor = 40060767

| pages = 439–440

| title = none

| volume = 45}}

  • {{citation

| date = December 7, 2002

| newspaper = Gainesville Sun

| title = Latitude looks at defining moment

| url = https://www.gainesville.com/story/news/2002/12/08/book-marks/31620051007/}}

Reviews of Simon Newcomb:

  • {{citation

| last = Graham | first = John

| bibcode = 2007EOSTr..88..447G

| date = October 2007

| doi = 10.1029/2007eo430011

| issue = 43

| journal = Eos

| page = 447

| publisher = American Geophysical Union

| title = none

| volume = 88| doi-access = free

}}

  • {{citation

| last = Robinson | first = Leif J.

| bibcode = 2006S&T...112e..79R

| date = September 2006

| issue = 5

| magazine = Sky & Telescope

| page = 79

| title = America's astronomer king

| url = https://www.thefreelibrary.com/America%27s+astronomer+king-a0156582720

| volume = 112}}

  • {{citation

| last = Schaefer | first = Bradley E.

| bibcode = 2007PhT....60b..66C

| date = February 2007

| doi = 10.1063/1.2711643

| issue = 2

| journal = Physics Today

| pages = 66–67

| title = none

| volume = 60}}

  • {{citation

| last = Schwarz | first = Charles R.

| date = March 2007

| journal = IAG Newsletter

| pages = 11–12

| publisher = International Association of Geodesy

| title = Review

| url = https://www.iag-aig.org/doc/5cb5a1f7d86dc.pdf}}

{{citation|url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/carter-william-e-1939|title=Carter, William E. 1939–|work=Encyclopedia.com|access-date=2022-06-09}}

{{citation|url=https://www.ukssdc.ac.uk/wdc/usa/rotat.html|title=World Data Center for the Rotation of the Earth, Washington|work=World Data Center System|access-date=2022-06-09}}

}}

{{Authority control|state=collapsed}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Carter, Merri Sue}}

Category:1964 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century American astronomers

Category:American women astronomers

Category:Historians of astronomy

Category:University of Maryland, College Park alumni

Category:University of Maryland Global Campus alumni

Category:20th-century American women scientists

Category:21st-century American astronomers

Category:21st-century American women scientists

Category:People from Columbus, Ohio

Category:Scientists from Ohio