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James McMahon (astronomer)

James McMahon (astronomer) 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 James McMahon (astronomer) rather than just read about it. In short: James McMahon is an American amateur astronomer, acknowledged for his visual observations of asteroid occultations. In 1978 his observation of the occultation of the asteroid 532 Herculina with the star SAO 120774, together with photometric study made at the Lowell Observatory, was considered a proof of the existence of a Herculina's natural satellite, which would be the first discovery of an asteroid moon in histor…

Key takeaways

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

Reference excerpt

James McMahon is an American amateur astronomer, acknowledged for his visual observations of asteroid occultations. In 1978 his observation of the occultation of the asteroid 532 Herculina with the star SAO 120774, together with photometric study made at the Lowell Observatory, was considered a proof of the existence of a Herculina's natural satellite, which would be the first discovery of an asteroid moon in history. However, a 1993 Hubble Space Telescope observation failed to confirm the discovery. In 1979 James McMahon was the first person awarded with the newly established Amateur Achievement Award of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.

References

External links Meta Research - The NEAR Challenge Amateur Achievement Award winners

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with James McMahon (astronomer)

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what James McMahon (astronomer) 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 James McMahon (astronomer) 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 James McMahon (astronomer) 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 James McMahon (astronomer)

In research
James McMahon (astronomer) 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 James McMahon (astronomer) 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
James McMahon (astronomer) is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 20th-century American astronomers, Amateur astronomers, American astronomer stubs, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for James McMahon (astronomer) 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 James McMahon (astronomer) in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what James McMahon (astronomer) means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain James McMahon (astronomer) out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is James McMahon (astronomer) in simple terms?

James McMahon is an American amateur astronomer, acknowledged for his visual observations of asteroid occultations. In 1978 his observation of the occultation of the asteroid 532 Herculina with the star SAO 120774, together with photometric study made at the Lowell Observatory, was considered a pro…

Why does James McMahon (astronomer) 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 James McMahon (astronomer)?

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 James McMahon (astronomer).

Tags

  • 20th-century American astronomers
  • Amateur astronomers
  • American astronomer stubs
  • Living people

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