A. Verbiscer

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Anne Verbiscer is a leading planetary astronomer whose research focuses on the icy moons of the outer solar system, Centaurs, and Kuiper Belt objects. She is perhaps best known for her pivotal role in the New Horizons mission, where she served as a co-investigator and led critical observations of the Pluto system and the Kuiper Belt object Arrokoth. Her work has fundamentally shaped our understanding of these distant, primitive worlds. A notable recent contribution includes her study of Centaur (2060) 95P/Chiron, where she used ATLAS data to detect a sudden, unexpected onset of cometary activity in 2021, demonstrating that even large, distant objects can undergo dynamic surface changes. With over 8,000 citations to her name, Verbiscer’s impact is immense. She has also been honored with the NASA Exceptional Public Achievement Medal for her outstanding contributions to planetary science and public outreach. Her research continues to push the boundaries of what we know about the solar system’s most remote and enigmatic residents.