Dr. Salim G. Ansari

Welcome

Welcome to my personal website. I am a retired astrophysicist who worked at the European Space Agency (ESA) from March 1991 until November 2022. I remain actively engaged in astronomical research as an affiliated researcher with the Department of Astrophysics, University of Vienna , where my current work focuses on the dynamics of star formation in nearby molecular clouds.

Today I continue my passion for astronomy through research, astrophotography, science education, and investigations into the role of magnetic fields during star formation.

Major Contributions

Helped establish the ViZieR Catalogue Service, one of the world's most important astronomical catalogue services. Read about its history on Wikipedia.

Participated in setting up ESA's Science & Technology Website, which continues to provide information about ESA's scientific missions and discoveries.

Was involved in the early stages of the Gaia Mission, one of the most ambitious astronomical surveys ever undertaken.

Research & Education

My scientific publications and research activities can be found on ResearchGate .

I currently serve as Chair of NAEC Austria , promoting astronomy education and outreach throughout Austria.

Current Research: MAGI

I am currently working on an exciting research topic involving star formation within nearby molecular clouds.

Visit the MAGI Project.

The project investigates the relationship between:

Young Stellar Object (YSO) proper motions
Gas-density filaments inside molecular clouds
Magnetic field orientations derived from polarization measurements

By combining Gaia stellar motions, Herschel density maps and Planck magnetic field measurements, I am investigating how these phenomena interact during the star-formation process.

Ultimately, this work seeks a deeper understanding of the forces governing stellar birth and their possible relationship to the mysterious phenomenon we call gravitation.

Books

I have written several books on astrophotography, smart telescopes and image processing in multiple languages. I am also the author of the novel Adventures of a Golf Ball, following the journey of a golf ball named Flogi around the world.

Visit my Amazon Author Page .

Hobbies

Apart from spending a lot of time on a golf course, I spend nights on end capturing images of Deep Sky Objects. I mainly use smart telescopes. I own two Vesperas and one DWARF Mini.

Visit my Astrobin Image Gallery to see what I am up to.

Social Media

Contact

Feel free to contact me regarding astronomy, astrophotography, science education, ESA-related activities, or my current MAGI research.

📧 Email: ansarisg@gmail.com