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=== Scientific achievements === | === Scientific achievements === | ||
Former student [[David Morrison (astrophysicist)|David Morrison]] described Sagan as "an 'idea person' and a master of intuitive physical arguments and '[[Back-of-the-envelope calculation|back of the envelope]]' calculations",<ref name="morrison" /> and [[Gerard Kuiper]] said that "Some persons work best in specializing on a major program in the laboratory; others are best in liaison between sciences. Dr. Sagan belongs in the latter group."<ref name="morrison" /> | Former student [[David Morrison (astrophysicist)|David Morrison]] described Sagan as "an 'idea person' and a master of intuitive physical arguments and '[[Back-of-the-envelope calculation|back of the envelope]]' calculations",<ref name="morrison" /> and [[Gerard Kuiper]] said that "Some persons work best in specializing on a major program in the laboratory; others are best in liaison between sciences. Dr. Sagan belongs in the latter group."<ref name="morrison" /> | ||
Sagan's contributions were central to the discovery of the high surface temperatures of the planet [[Venus]].<ref name=surftemp /><ref>{{cite book |title=Principles of Planetary Climate |first1=Raymond T. |last1=Pierrehumbert |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-139-49506-6 |page=202 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bO_U8f5pVR8C}} [https://books.google.com/books?id=bO_U8f5pVR8C&pg=PA202 Extract of page 202].</ref> In the early 1960s no one knew for certain the basic conditions of Venus' surface, and Sagan listed the possibilities in a report later depicted for popularization in a [[Time Life]] book ''Planets''. His own view was that Venus was dry and very hot as opposed to the balmy paradise others had imagined. He had investigated [[radio wave]]s from Venus and concluded that there was a surface temperature of {{convert|500|°C|-2}}. As a visiting scientist to NASA's [[Jet Propulsion Laboratory]], he contributed to the first [[Mariner program|Mariner]] missions to Venus, working on the design and management of the project. [[Mariner 2]] confirmed his conclusions on the surface conditions of Venus in 1962. | Sagan's contributions were central to the discovery of the high surface temperatures of the planet [[Venus]].<ref name=surftemp /><ref>{{cite book |title=Principles of Planetary Climate |first1=Raymond T. |last1=Pierrehumbert |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-139-49506-6 |page=202 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bO_U8f5pVR8C}} [https://books.google.com/books?id=bO_U8f5pVR8C&pg=PA202 Extract of page 202].</ref> In the early 1960s no one knew for certain the basic conditions of Venus' surface, and Sagan listed the possibilities in a report later depicted for popularization in a [[Time Life]] book ''Planets''. His own view was that Venus was dry and very hot as opposed to the balmy paradise others had imagined. He had investigated [[radio wave]]s from Venus and concluded that there was a surface temperature of {{convert|500|°C|-2}}. As a visiting scientist to NASA's [[Jet Propulsion Laboratory]], he contributed to the first [[Mariner program|Mariner]] missions to Venus, working on the design and management of the project. [[Mariner 2]] confirmed his conclusions on the surface conditions of Venus in 1962. | ||
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===''Cosmos'': popularizing science on TV=== | ===''Cosmos'': popularizing science on TV=== | ||
In 1980 Sagan co-wrote and narrated the award-winning 13-part [[PBS]] television series ''[[Cosmos: A Personal Voyage]]'', which became the most widely watched series in the history of American public television until 1990. The show has been seen by at least 500 million people across 60 countries.<ref name="Starchild" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/information/biography/pqrst/sagan_carl.html |title=Carl Sagan |work=EMuseum |publisher=[[Minnesota State University, Mankato]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528213538/http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/information/biography/pqrst/sagan_carl.html |archive-date=May 28, 2010 |access-date=August 30, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cosmolearning.com/documentaries/cosmos/ |title=CosmoLearning Astronomy |publisher=CosmoLearning |access-date=October 8, 2009}}</ref> The book, ''Cosmos'', written by Sagan, was published to accompany the series.<ref name="NationalGeo">{{cite web |url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/03/140316-carl-sagan-science-galaxies-space/ |title=Who Was Carl Sagan? |last=Vergano |first=Dan |date=March 16, 2014 |website=National Geographic Daily News |publisher=[[National Geographic Society]] |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=May 13, 2014}}</ref> | In 1980 Sagan co-wrote and narrated the award-winning 13-part [[PBS]] television series ''[[Cosmos: A Personal Voyage]]'', which became the most widely watched series in the history of American public television until 1990. The show has been seen by at least 500 million people across 60 countries.<ref name="Starchild" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/information/biography/pqrst/sagan_carl.html |title=Carl Sagan |work=EMuseum |publisher=[[Minnesota State University, Mankato]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528213538/http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/information/biography/pqrst/sagan_carl.html |archive-date=May 28, 2010 |access-date=August 30, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cosmolearning.com/documentaries/cosmos/ |title=CosmoLearning Astronomy |publisher=CosmoLearning |access-date=October 8, 2009}}</ref> The book, ''Cosmos'', written by Sagan, was published to accompany the series.<ref name="NationalGeo">{{cite web |url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/03/140316-carl-sagan-science-galaxies-space/ |title=Who Was Carl Sagan? |last=Vergano |first=Dan |date=March 16, 2014 |website=National Geographic Daily News |publisher=[[National Geographic Society]] |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=May 13, 2014}}</ref> | ||