List of Cosmologists - S

S

• Rainer K. Sachs (1932–) discovered gravitationally induced redshifts in the cosmic background radiation
• Allan Sandage (1936–) set the cosmological distance scale and accurately estimated the speed of expansion of the universe
• Brian P. Schmidt (1967–) used supernova data to measure the acceleration in the expansion of the universe
• David N. Schramm (1945–1997) was an export on big bang theory and an early proponent of dark matter
• Dennis W. Sciama (1926–1999) studied many aspects of cosmology and supervised many other leading cosmologists
• Seleucus of Seleucia (c.190 BC–) used tidal observations to support a heliocentric model
• Roman Ulrich Sexl (1939–1986) developed an ether-based theory of absolute simultaneity that is mathematically equivalent to special relativity
• Al-Sijzi (c.945–1020) invented an astrolabe based on heliocentric principles
• Joseph Silk explained the homogeneity of the early universe using photon diffusion damping
• Willem de Sitter (1872–1934) developed a theory of dark matter with Einstein, found an expanding matterless solution to general relativity
• Lee Smolin (1955–) studied quantum gravity, popularized a theory of cosmological natural selection
• George F. Smoot (1945–) used Cosmic Background Explorer Satellite to measure the temperature and anisotropy of the early universe
• David N. Spergel (1961–) used Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe satellite to measure the temperature and anisotropy of the early universe
• Paul Steinhardt helped develop inflation theory, introduced quintessential dark energy, studied brane cosmology and cyclic models of the universe
• Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi (903–986) identified the large Magellanic cloud and made the first recorded observation of the Andromeda galaxy
• Nicholas B. Suntzeff used supernova observations to discover acceleration in the expansion of the universe, calibrated the supernova distance scale
• Rashid Sunyaev (1943–) developed a theory of density fluctuations in the early universe, described how to use cosmic background distortion to observe large-scale density fluctuations
• Brian Swimme (1950–) wrote four books on religious aspects of cosmology