Dr. Bill Blair

Bill Blair is an Astrophysicist and Research Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at The Johns Hopkins University . He has been at Johns Hopkins since 1984, and was involved previously in the support of the Astro-1 (December 1990) and Astro-2 (March 1995) space shuttle missions that carried the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope into space.

In 1996, Bill joined the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) project where he was Chief of Observatory Operations for a number of years. (FUSE was a satellite developed by JHU for NASA, and launched June 24, 1999. FUSE was operated for NASA by JHU, completing operations in October 2007.) In 2002, Bill was appointed as a FUSE Co-Investigator by NASA, and was made Deputy Principal Investigator. From 2009 to 2023, Bill supported preparations and operations for the James Webb Space Telescope, which was launched in December 2020. It has been a storybook career.

Bill's main scientific interests lie in the areas of gaseous nebulae, supernova remnants and the interstellar medium (the "stuff" out there between the stars). Shock waves from supernova explosions energize and enrich the surrounding medium. Studying supernova remnants in our Milky Way galaxy, as well as other nearby galaxies, is part of understanding the ongoing evolution of our universe.

Bill grew up west of Detroit, Michigan, "back when the skies were still dark at night," he says. The picture above was taken in the back yard where he grew up in Westland, Michigan, not far from where he used to set up his 4-inch Newtonian telescope to scan the southern Milky Way on warm, summer nights. Growing up in the 1960's during the heyday of the Apollo missions had an indelible effect on Bill, who was an active model rocketeer. "Not quite October Sky level," he says, "but I have some old home movies that are pretty good!"

Bill always liked physics and math, but never really thought of astronomy as something you did for a career. However, after graduating from Olivet College (now the University of Olivet), a small liberal arts college in Michigan, Bill applied to the University of Michigan for graduate school in astronomy, and the rest, as they say, is history. As of mid-2026, Bill has authored or co-authored over 320 papers, primarily on various aspects of supernova remnants, using a wide range of ground-based and space-based telescopes, including the Chandra X-ray Observatory, and the Hubble Space Telescope,.

In addition to his research and technical duties, Bill has always maintained an active interest in education and public outreach as well. Bill was heavily involved in outreach efforts for HUT and FUSE, and he still gives numerous talks to school audiences and public groups, running the gamut from astronomy and telescopes to climate change and global warming.

Believe it or not, Bill also has a life outside astronomy! He enjoys gardening, photography, and spending time with his family. He is a long-time member of Babcock Presbyterian Church in Towson, MD. Bill is married, and he and his wife, Jean, have two grown children.

Send E-MAIL to Bill Blair or Return to Bill's Home Page.

Last updated: June 15, 2026.