On 24 October, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) has named an asteroid in honor of Mohamed Ramy Al Maarry, an Egyptian associate professor of planetary science and the director of the Space and Planetary Science Centre at Khalifa University of Science and Technology. Asteroid 2002 CZ is now called Al Maarry (357148) in honor of his noteworthy contributions to planetary science and cometary geology. “I hope this award can be an inspiration to the next generation of Arab scientists,” Al Maarry stated. Along with representing Khalifa University, Al Maarry is scheduled to participate in the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) upcoming space mission to investigate seven bodies in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter in 2028. The expedition seeks to unearth crucial information about ice asteroids, which could shed light on the creation of our solar system, “Our Earth Sciences department offers the only bachelor’s degree in Earth and planetary science in the region,” said Al Maarry. “Our ambition is to prepare the next generation of Emiratis to take part in the upcoming UAE space missions, especially the UAE mission to the asteroid belt.” To better understand planetary geology and…
Asteroid Named After Egyptian Scientist Ramy Al Maarry in Honor of His Contributions
November 3, 2023
