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Lehigh University STEPS building at night
Andrew McNeill portrait

Andrew McNeill

Visiting Assistant Professor

anm722@lehigh.edu
Lewis Lab 411
Education:

MSci Physics with Astrophysics – Queen’s University Belfast - 2013

PhD Solar System Astrophysics – Queen’s University Belfast - 2017

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Research Areas

Additional Interests

  • Planetary Science & Astronomy
  • Asteroid Science
  • Solar System Astrophysics

Research Statement

My primary research interests are the rotational and shape properties of asteroids using photometric data. I have carried out studies of minor planets throughout our Solar System from Near Earth Asteroids to Kuiper Belt Objects using direct observations as well as archival data from sky surveys. I am experienced at handling data from sky surveys and satellites with research publications using data from e.g. ATLAS, Pan-STARRS and Gaia. As further surveys come online producing ever-more data, archival projects will represent an excellent avenue for research. I am always keen to involve talented undergraduate students in my research.

I lead ongoing international collaborations to identify and observe 'extreme' asteroids, those with highly unusual shape or rotation periods, with collaborators in Europe, North America and Africa. This involves both direct observing and the use of sky surveys e.g. ATLAS.

In addition to survey work, I am an experienced observer with completed runs on the Isaac Newton Telescope (La Palma), ESO New Technology Telescope (Chile) , Lowell Discovery Telescope (Arizona, US) and the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (Arizona, US). My specific observing interests are aimed at the discovery and study of asteroids with ‘extreme’ shape or rotational properties.

Biography

I am a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Department of Physics at Lehigh until May 2024.

Trilling, D.E.,; Gowanlock, M., Kramer, D., McNeill, A., Donnelly, B.,  Butler, N., Kececioglu, J.
“The Solar System Notification Alert Processing System (SNAPS): Design, Architecture, and First Data Release (SNAPShot1)”
Published by The Astronomical Journal, Volume 165, Issue 3, id.111

Erasmus, N., Kramer, D., McNeill, A., et al.
“Discovery of Super-Slow Rotating Asteroids with ATLAS and ZTF photometry”
Published by MNRAS 2021, 506, 3, 3872

McNeill, A., Erasmus, N., Trilling, D.E. et al.\\
“Comparison of the physical properties of the L4 and L5 Trojan asteroids from ATLAS”
Published by PSJ 2021, 2 ,1, 6

McNeill, A., Mommert, M., Trilling, D.E. et al.
“Asteroid Photometry from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite: A Pilot Study”
Published by ApJS 2019, 245, 29

ISSI Oumuamua Team
“The natural history of `Oumuamua”
Published by Nature Astronomy 2019, 3,  594

McNeill, A., Trilling, D.E., Mommert, M.\\
“Constraints on the Density and Internal Strength of 1I/'Oumuamua”
Published by ApJ Letters 2018, 857, L1

Teaching

PHY031 Modern Physics (Fall 2022)
ASTR105 Introduction to Planetary Astronomy (Spring Semester)
ASTR301 Introduction to Stellar Astrophysics (Fall Semester)