How fast does the Sun orbit the Milky Way? | Brian May's Astrophysics Thesis on Solar System Dust

This week I sat down and read Dr Brian May's (from Queen) astrophysics thesis all about dust in the plane of the Solar System. You can usually see the glow from this dust just before sunrise and just after sunset. Watch to find out how Brian May spent years studying this dust before his success with Queen, and how he came back to it in 2006 to finish off his research and find evidence for how fast the Sun is orbiting around the Milky Way. @BrianMay

Song clips used:

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👩🏽‍💻 Dr Becky Smethurst is an astrophysicist researching galaxies and supermassive black holes at Christ Church at the University of Oxford.

[GelidGanef]

Brian May may be the astrophysicist of Queen but Becky Smethurst is the Queen of Astrophysics 👑

[chrissscottt]

As a Queen fan I'm tempted to buy May's thesis but I suspect it would only gather dust.

[pgm]

The reason Dr May left astrophysics for 35 years? Galileo let him go!

[jzero]

I was doing research at ICL in the Physics department when Brian May decided to come back to finish this thesis. It was the most surreal sight in the world to see that massive explosion of hair come shuffling into the common room looking for coffee along with the rest of the brown trousers and elbow patches about. Among his points of advice to PhD students at the time, in addition to working hard and so on, was to "have an awesome hairdo".

[garrycollins]

First Class Honors for incorporating Queen lyrics with great affect.

[RachelsSweetie]

I've told my kids once or twice how cool it was that Queen's guitar player went back decades later and finished his PhD in astrophysics. Thanks for going through his work with us, both scientific and musical. And it's cool that you got your PhD, too. Now I'm waiting for you to post some of your band's videos.

[ricksneed]

Thank you for making ASTROPHYSICS fun and semi understandable. I'm a 69-year-old bricklayer and between you and Tyson, Greene, Nye and a few others I have a bit of understanding of the cosmos and the environs.

[tomgio]

As a banker who has moonlighted as a garage band rock musician for 33 years, I casually mention Brian May (Astrophysics PhD, and Bruce Dickinson, type rated 747 pilot) as exalted examples demonstrating that yes, we musicians have chops beyond what most would consider in our typical wheelhouse. Thank you for this wonderful post!

[saltyassassin]

I love listening to Dr May speak about this topic! He’s such a brilliant man! Dr May: “Yes yes.... this little side project did sidetrack me for a bit.... but when passion infects you, it will always fight to get this little “side project” being Queen!😂🤣 Brilliant!!

[enysuntra]

"It's incredibly dry!"
Well... What did you expect? It's DUST!!!

[PatrickPoet]

She's so cool. I love the way that she doesn't just educate us about the science but lets us see that she's just another person -- that's the kind of thing that might let a young woman feel like she had permission to be smart and do STEM if she wants. She's my favorite science youtuber for both those reasons 1) she does an excellent job teaching me things and 2) she role models much. She's making the world a better place.

[jerrysg]

In 1966 my PhD thesis in Polymer Chemistry at the University of Akron, Ohio contained a very simple FORTRAN program to do least squares regression analysis. It was the first computer program in a thesis at that University. I often wondered where I would have gone if I had not considered computers as just a very expensive tool and had stayed with them instead of staying in chemistry. Still a very satisifying career.

[donald-parker]

I have dreams (nightmares) about trying to go back to university to get a post grad degree. After 40 years I can't even remember what I've forgotten. I am supremely impressed by the idea that he came back after so many years and "picked where he left off". And, as a guitar player, I am also supremely impressed. And we have not even begun to explore his stereoscope, or politics, or animal rights battles. A true renaissance man, a gentleman, and an honorable person.

[turkosicsaba]

You might be a fan of Brian's work, but in sweltering Britain, Brian's work is a fan of yours! 🤔

[mariomatovina]

There is nobody more cool than Brian May. Great guitarist, great hair and he's astrophysicist.

[NorthernChev]

So, I guess one could say, that after 35 years his research is officially "done and dusted!".

[EtzEchad]

"We're made of Star Stuff!" - Carl Sagan

Actually, there is a reason that the Universe is so dusty. It's hard to clean up because nature abhors a vacuum.

[JETGuitars]

❤ not many people know how brilliant Brian May of Queen is!

[X-Gen-]

Thanks for the link. I'm checking out his thesis right now. Dr Brian May is a brilliant and incredibly talented man. Back in the glory days of Queen I had no idea he was an aspiring astrophysicist. A Kind Of Magic is still one of my all time favorite albums.

[deanlawson]

What an excellent video!
It's such an interesting story about (Dr.) Brian May, the awesome Lead Guitar of Queen, being such a brilliant guy. I've been a life-long Queen fan and was even fortunate enough to see them perform live in concert many years ago. What a great kickass show that was!
Thanks Dr. Becky for bringing us these excellent videos like this! I really enjoyed this video about (Dr.) Brian May!