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Queen's Brian May Now a Doctor in Astrophysics

By Stone Martindale Aug 24, 2007, 20:28 GMT

Brian May, known as the guitarist of the legendary British rock group Queen, is now a doctor in astrophysics. Brian May, who was a member of legendary British band Queen, poses for photographers 26 July 2007 in La Palma island, Canary Islands, southwestern Spain. May finishes his thesis on stardust at Roque de los Muchachos Observatory in La Palma before he sets out his doctoral thesis at Imperial College London on 23 August 2007. EPA/Ramon Perez

Brian May, who was a member of legendary British band Queen, poses for photographers 26 July 2007 in La Palma island, Canary Islands, southwestern Spain. May finishes his thesis on stardust at Roque de los Muchachos Observatory in La Palma before he sets out his doctoral thesis at Imperial College London on 23 August 2007. EPA/Ramon PerezMay is 60 years old, and according to the BBC, he gave up his scientific career in 1974 in order to pursue music. May resumed his doctoral studies last year."I'm feeling rather joyful. I cannot tell you how much of a weight off the mind it is," May said after he passed his oral exam.Brian May handed in its 48,000-word study of interplanetary dust entitled Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud at Imperial College, London according to the website. "I feel comfortable about using the title because I worked for this, and I'm going to be proud to call myself Doctor from now on," May said for BBC News.May will be conferred officially with the title at a ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall in May next year, according to the BBC.Brian May already was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) in November 2002 by the University of Hertfordshire and another in July 2007 by the University of Exeter.