M. Hackstein

About

M. Hackstein is an observational astronomer whose research spans Galactic stellar variability, high-mass binary star systems, and active galactic nuclei. Working primarily through the Universitätssternwarte Bochum near Cerro Armazones, Chile, Hackstein has been a key contributor to the Bochum Galactic Disk Survey (GDS), a large-scale robotic photometric monitoring program that systematically maps variable stars across the southern Galactic plane. This foundational survey work, cited 31 times, established an important dataset for the broader astronomical community. Hackstein also made significant contributions to AGN science, co-authoring a detailed reverberation mapping study of the Seyfert 1 galaxy PGC 50427 that constrained the size of both its broad-line region and dust torus — earning 23 citations. A recurring theme throughout Hackstein's career is the characterization of high-mass eclipsing binary systems, with multiple studies determining orbital parameters for O-type stars such as Pismis 24-1 and CPD −51° 8946. Hackstein has also highlighted the sustainable operation of the Bochum observatory, which runs exclusively on renewable energy — a notable achievement in modern astronomical infrastructure.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   The Bochum survey of the southern Galactic disk: I. Survey design and first results on 50 square degrees monitored in 2011

   31 citations · 2012
2. 2
   The broad-line region and dust torus size of the Seyfert 1 galaxy PGC 50427

   23 citations · 2015
3. 3
   A survey for high-mass eclipsing binaries

   13 citations · 2019
4. 4
   Eclipsing high-mass binaries

   9 citations · 2013
5. 5
   A green observatory in the Chilean Atacama desert

   4 citations · 2016
6. 6
   Eclipsing high-mass binaries I. Light curves and system parameters for CPD-518946, PISMIS24-1 and HD319702

   4 citations · 2013
7. 7
   Variable stars in the Bochum Galactic Disk Survey

   2 citations · 2015

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links