Contents
Donald Lynden-Bell
Explaining how massive black holes power quasars
Black holes in galaxies · Accretion discs
- Born
- 5 April 1935
- Birthplace
- Dover
- Died
- 6 February 2018
More people
Donald Lynden-Bell
Donald Lynden-Bell connected the extraordinary brightness of quasars with matter falling towards massive black holes. His theoretical work also examined how stars redistribute energy inside galaxies and clusters.
Early life
Cambridge training
Raised in a military family, he studied mathematics at Clare College before completing a doctorate with Leon Mestel.
Career
- 1962
Galactic origins
Worked with Olin Eggen and Allan Sandage on a model for the formation of the Milky Way.
- 1969
Quasar theory
Proposed accretion onto massive black holes as a source of quasar energy.
- 1972
Institute leadership
Became the first director of Cambridge’s Institute of Astronomy.
Contributions
Black holes in galaxies
Connected active quasars with otherwise quiet galactic nuclei.
Accretion discs
With James Pringle, investigated discs around young stars.
Beyond work
Scientific family
Married the chemist Ruth Lynden-Bell in 1961.
Sources & photo credit
Biography and career ↗Biographical references ↗Additional biographical or achievement source ↗Original photograph. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
Photo: Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge – Amanda Smith. CC BY-SA 4.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.