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Abdul Ahad (later, Mohammed Abdul Ahad, (Bengali: আবদুল আহাদ)(b. 1968) is an astronomer, author and space science researcher [1][2].


He was born and raised in a tranquil village in the Balaganj Upazila of Sylhet district, Bangladesh[3]. Later moved across to the UK with his family at the age of nine, and is an alumni of the University of Bedfordshire[4].

Abdul Ahad is author of the bestselling science fiction novel series First Ark to Alpha Centauri and is now also a screenwriter, director and producer of his first feature film to be made by the same title[5][6][7]. He became the first Bangladeshi-born author to successfully publish a mainstream fantasy novel into the worldwide arena via a United States publisher[8].


Ahad is probably best known for the vast quantities of original research work he has completed in relation to his astronomy and space science interests, that have been widely published both online and in scientific journals:

On the colours of the Stars[]

Back in the 1980s, Abdul Ahad compiled a catalogue of the reddest stars in the night sky[9][10].


In May 2004, he introduced the supergiant star 119 tauri into the astronomical community as the second reddest of all naked-eye stars visible in the night sky, and coined it the 'Ruby Star'[11] (See also these articles: Realm of the Majestic Ruby Star in Taurus and The Spectrum, Volume 20(1) July-Sep 2008, Western Colorado Astronomy Club)


On the rings of the Earth[]

Ahad-earthring2

Long term dispersion vectors for orbital debris, as predicted in Ahad's paper "Would a Saturn-like ring system around planet Earth remain stable?" (September 2004)

In September 2004, Abdul Ahad became the first person in science to point out and demonstrate analytically that the Earth, as a planet, is incapable of retaining a stable orbital ring system around it over any length of time, due to the opposing gravitational perturbing influences of the Sun and the Moon[12][13] . This notion by Abdul Ahad that the Earth always has been, and always will be, "forever ringless", is original research representing an important shift in modern scientific thinking that is contrary to the established notions of other theorists in this field going far back into antiquity.

On the light of the Sun[]

He defined the eponymous Ahad's Sphere of the Sun, and showed how the light of the Sun will attenuate with increasing distance as one travels toward the realm of the nearby stars (refer to online article dated December 2003).

On the positions of the Planets[]

When he was a schoolboy of just 15, Abdul Ahad invented his own celestial algorithms to help him track positions of planets in the night sky[14]. In May 1985, he accurately predicted a transit of the Sun by Venus (this article) which took place 2004 June 8.(See his algorithm Planetary Positions for 300 Years).

On the observation of Double Stars[]

He made astrometric positional measurements using a micrometer eyepiece on existing binary systems, and introduced 41 new pairs of hitherto unrecorded double stars[15] [16][17]. . Some of these stars exhibit common proper motions and are hence thought to be true binary systems.

On relativistic Space Travel[]

In relation to the formulation of Ahad's Constant, Ahad postulated that the universe's total background light will appear to condense toward a single point of light, as one travels close to the velocity of light[18]. This would be by virtue of Lorentz contraction and that in local interstellar space (i.e. in the vicinity of our Solar System) its value would tend toward -6.5 magnitudes, as the observer's velocity tends toward c. See this page for full details and the theoretical precepts on which he based this theory.

Other Publications[]

In December 2008, Ahad's autobiographical short story, The Sombrero Spiral Galaxy, was published by Mandinam Press in a 280-page Christmas anthology[19] ("Forever Friends") with 47 other authors from around the globe. ISBN: 978-1-4092-3290-2[20].



Ahad alphacentauri

The star Alpha Centauri is seen here rising above Ayers Rock in Australia. This photograph was snapped by Abdul Ahad in May 2006

In this story, set in his back garden one evening in April 2004, Abdul Ahad claims to have glimpsed the illusive dust lane in the Sombrero galaxy's spiral arms, using only a modest 4.5-inch mirrored reflecting telescope. Amateur astronomers consider this feat to be only achievable by observers equipped with telescopes of 10 or 12-inch aperture or larger[21]

Astronomy related travels[]

Abdul Ahad has travelled extensively in pursuit of his astronomical interests. A few of his many trips include a visit to Meteor Crater in Arizona, Death Valley in Nevada and Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

In May 2006, he travelled to the Australian continental interior to view the southern celestial sphere in its entirety for the very first time, and imaged the star Alpha Centauri (the subject of his novels) in meticulous detail.

Awards, honours and other recognition[]

  • In February 2006, Ahad was awarded on a worldwide-aired television show by the High Commissioner of Bangladesh[22]
  • In March 2006, he was nominated for Best of Luton awards
  • In May of 2008, Ahad was awarded Honorary Membership of Bangladesh Astronomical Society [23]
  • The eponymous Ahad's constant, Ahad radius and Ahad's sphere have all been named in his honour in the scientific community[24]

References[]

  1. Author award on Channel S television, 2006
  2. Video from DCTV Media, 2008
  3. The Peterborough Evening Telegraph July 20, 2010
  4. University press release Nov 25, 2005
  5. Sci-fi ‘blockbuster’ to be filmed in Luton - Luton & Dunstable Express - August 2009
  6. Official opening of movie by Mayor of Luton - Luton & Dunstable Express - November 12, 2009
  7. Press release in London Bangla, issue 03/11 November 20-26, 2009
  8. Scanned media report from his publisher
  9. Journal of Brit Astro Assoc, Vol 119(1) p. 50 - February 2009
  10. Catalogue of the Reddest Stars in the Night Sky, A. Ahad, 1st edition May 2004.
  11. Youtube video edited by a fan, May 2009
  12. Can planet Earth ever have rings?, August 28th, 2008
  13. Ring around the Earth, September 9, 2008, in Discovery Space by Ray Villard
  14. Abdul Ahad's biography showcased on James Cameron's Avatar Movie Zone - July, 2009
  15. In search of new binaries of the Northern Skies, May 2009
  16. Webb Society Double Star Section Circular No 18, 2010, p. 47
  17. "Binary" Journal of the BAA Double Stars Group, Sep 2010
  18. [Na eta hobe na Lorentz contraction in Special Relativity]
  19. Forever Friends anthology available at Amazon.com
  20. Novelist's short story set to be released in Christmas anthology, 28 November, 2008
  21. K. G. Jones (1991). Messier's Nebulae and Star Clusters (2nd edition ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-37079-5
  22. Author award on Channel S television, 2006
  23. East of England Creative News, Jan-Mar 2009
  24. The Sky this Week, an astronomy weekly by David Oesper, October 23, 2008

External links[]

Main Article[]

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