astronomy

Gordon Swann

Gordon Swann is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Gordon Swann rather than just read about it. In short: Gordon Alfred Swann (September 21, 1931 – May 22, 2014) was an American geologist. Born in Palisade, Colorado, he went to high school in Olathe, Colorado, and then served in the U.S.

Key takeaways

Gordon Swann belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Gordon Swann to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Gordon Swann from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Gordon Alfred Swann (September 21, 1931 – May 22, 2014) was an American geologist. Born in Palisade, Colorado, he went to high school in Olathe, Colorado, and then served in the U.S. Navy from 1952 to 1956. He received his PhD from the University of Colorado in 1962, and studied the Precambrian geology of the Front Range of Colorado while working for U.S. Geological Survey. He is notable for his work with NASA and the training of the astronauts of the Apollo program in field geology. Swann served as the Principal Investigator of the Apollo Lunar Geologic Experiment for Apollo 14 and Apollo 15. A part of the Montes Apenninus (south of Mons Hadley) at the Apollo 15 landing site was informally called the Swann Range in his honor by the astronauts. Besides his work for NASA, Swann was an adjunct professor at the University of Northern Arizona. In his non-academic life Swann was a Master at the Flagstaff Masonic Lodge.

Books and publications Karlstrom, N. V.; Swann, Gordon A.; Eastwood, Raymond L., eds. (1974). Geology of Northern Arizona with Notes on Archaeology and Paleoclimate. Geological Society of America. hdl:10150/630724. Swann, G. A.; et al. (1977). Geology of the Apollo 14 landing site in the Fra Mauro highlands. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. LCCN 74026964. OCLC 1104157.

Recognition The asteroid 4082 Swann is named after him by the Minor Planet Center. NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal American Institute of Professional Geologists Excellence Award Thirty Third Degree Scottish Rite Mason, plus two Albert Pike awards

References

Further reading Spudis, Paul D. (June 3, 2014). "Gordon Swann, Geology Teacher to the Astronauts; Remembering a pioneer of lunar exploration". Smithsonian Magazine (Air & Space Magazine). Spudis, Paul D. (July 19, 2014). "Apollo 15 and The Power of Inspiration". Smithsonian Magazine (Air & Space Magazine).

Primary sources "To the Moon; Interview with Dr. Gordon Swann, geologist with the US Geological Survey (USGS) and Principal Investigator of Lunar Geology for Apollo [parts 1, 2, 3, & 4]". American Archive of Public Broadcasting (AAPB). Library of Congress and GBH.

External links USGS Astrogeology Center – Gordon Alfred Swann Gordon Swann at Find a Grave

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Gordon Swann

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Gordon Swann claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Gordon Swann before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Gordon Swann ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Gordon Swann

In research: Gordon Swann appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Gordon Swann in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Gordon Swann is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1931 births, 2014 deaths, 20th-century American geologists, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Gordon Swann outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Gordon Swann in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Gordon Swann means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Gordon Swann out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Gordon Swann in simple terms?

Gordon Alfred Swann (September 21, 1931 – May 22, 2014) was an American geologist. Born in Palisade, Colorado, he went to high school in Olathe, Colorado, and then served in the U.S.

Why does Gordon Swann matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Gordon Swann?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Gordon Swann.