Marc Postman (born April 6, 1958) is an American astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute[1] in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. His research interests
include observational studies of the formation and evolution of galaxies and large scale structure in the
universe. His work focuses on determining, observationally, the relationships between galaxy-scale phenomena and the surrounding large-scale environment and matter distribution. His recent research includes characterizing the properties of brightest cluster galaxies [2][3][4][5] and placing new constraints on the cosmic optical background.[6][7]
Career
Postman was the lead or co-investigator on several joint science and engineering working groups exploring the feasibility and science capabilities of future large optical / near infrared telescopes on the ground and in space. He served on the science and technology definition team for the Large Ultraviolet Optical Infrared Surveyor concept (aka LUVOIR), which was proposed to the 2020 Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey. A modified version of this concept, the Habitable Worlds Observatory, is now being developed by NASA. He was a member of the Hubble Space TelescopeAdvanced Camera for Surveys investigation team and project scientist for the STScI Digitized Sky Survey program. He has also served on the Council of the American Astronomical Society and on the Committee for the Status of Women in Astronomy. Postman was the Principal Investigator of the HST multi-cycle treasury program Cluster Lensing and Supernova survey with Hubble, a study of dark matter in clusters of galaxies. Postman is also a guest investigator on the New Horizons science team to study the ultraviolet and optical background radiation field as seen from the unique vantage point beyond 45 AU from the Sun.
^Lauer, Tod R.; Postman, Marc; Weaver, Harold A.; Spencer, John R.; Stern, S. Alan; Buie, Marc W.; Durda, Daniel D.; Lisse, Carey M.; Poppe, A. R.; Binzel, Richard P.; Britt, Daniel T.; Buratti, Bonnie J.; Cheng, Andrew F.; Grundy, W. M.; Horányi, Mihaly; Kavelaars, J. J.; Linscott, Ivan R.; McKinnon, William B.; Moore, Jeffrey M.; Núñez, J. I.; Olkin, Catherine B.; Parker, Joel W.; Porter, Simon B.; Reuter, Dennis C.; Robbins, Stuart J.; Schenk, Paul; Showalter, Mark R.; Singer, Kelsi N.; Verbiscer, Anne J.; Young, Leslie A. (2021). "New Horizons Observations of the Cosmic Optical Background". The Astrophysical Journal. 906 (2): 77. arXiv:2011.03052. Bibcode:2021ApJ...906...77L. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/abc881. hdl:1721.1/133770.2. S2CID226277978.
^Lauer, Tod R.; Postman, Marc; Spencer, John R.; Weaver, Harold A.; Stern, S. Alan; Gladstone, G. Randall; Binzel, Richard P.; Britt, Daniel T.; Buie, Marc W.; Buratti, Bonnie J.; Cheng, Andrew F.; Grundy, W. M.; Horányi, Mihaly; Kavelaars, J. J.; Linscott, Ivan R.; Lisse, Carey M.; McKinnon, William B.; McNutt, Ralph L.; Moore, Jeffrey M.; Núñez, J. I.; Olkin, Catherine B.; Parker, Joel W.; Porter, Simon B.; Reuter, Dennis C.; Robbins, Stuart J.; Schenk, Paul M.; Showalter, Mark R.; Singer, Kelsi N.; Verbiscer, Anne. J.; Young, Leslie A. (2022). "Anomalous Flux in the Cosmic Optical Background Detected with New Horizons Observations". The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 927 (1): L8. arXiv:2202.04273. Bibcode:2022ApJ...927L...8L. doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ac573d. S2CID246680032.
