Showing 35 results

Authority record
Astronomer
de Pontecoulant, G.
Person · 1795 - 1874

Philippe Gustave le Doulcet, Comte de Pontécoulant (1795–1874) was a French astronomer and mathematician best known for his extensive theoretical work on celestial mechanics. Born into an aristocratic family, he studied at the École Polytechnique in Paris, where he developed a strong foundation in mathematics and physics. Pontécoulant authored the multi-volume Théorie Analytique du Système du Monde (1829–1846), which elaborated and extended the work of Laplace, offering detailed mathematical treatments of planetary motions, lunar theory, and perturbations. His calculations and analytical methods contributed to more precise ephemerides and a deeper understanding of gravitational interactions in the Solar System.
Delporte, Eugene Joseph
Person · 1882 - 1955

Eugène Joseph Delporte (10 January 1882 – 19 October 1955) was a Belgian astronomer based at the Royal Observatory of Belgium, well known for his contributions to asteroid discovery and for his role in defining modern constellation boundaries. Over his career, he discovered 66 asteroids, including notable ones such as 1221 Amor, the first of the Amor group of near-Earth asteroids, and 2101 Adonis. In 1930, the International Astronomical Union tasked Delporte with formalizing the boundaries of the 88 modern constellations along lines of right ascension and declination for the epoch 1875.0, work which remains the standard today. His precise mapping brought consistency to astronomical charts worldwide. Delporte’s meticulous approach to positional astronomy and his asteroid discoveries made him an important figure in 20th-century observational astronomy.
Dopita, Michael Andrew
Person · 1946 - 2018

Michael Andrew Dopita is an Australian astronomer known for his research in extragalactic astronomy, astrophysical spectroscopy, and the study of the interstellar medium and active galactic nuclei. He has been affiliated with institutions such as the Australian National University’s Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, where he served as a professor. Dopita’s work has contributed to understanding the physical processes in galaxies, including star formation, supernova remnants, and the chemical evolution of the universe. He has also been involved in developing theoretical models and diagnostic tools for interpreting astronomical spectra. Dopita was the 1983 winner of the Pawsey medal.
Eddington, Arthur Stanley
Eddington, Arthur Stanley
Person · 1882 - 1944

Arthur Stanley Eddington (28 December 1882 – 22 November 1944) was a British astronomer, physicist, and mathematician, best known for his work on the theory of relativity and stellar structure. He provided one of the first experimental confirmations of Einstein’s general theory of relativity during the 1919 solar eclipse expedition, where he observed the bending of starlight by the Sun’s gravity. Eddington also developed the Eddington limit, defining the balance between radiation pressure and gravitational pull in stars, and authored influential works such as The Internal Constitution of the Stars. A Quaker by faith, he was an advocate of international scientific cooperation, even during wartime, and played a major role in popularizing complex scientific concepts for the public.
Evershed, John
Evershed, John
Person · 1864 - 1956

John Evershed (1864-1956) was an English astronomer who, in 1909, discovered the horizontal motion of gases outward from the centres of sunspots, a phenomenon sometimes called the Evershed effect. In 1906, Evershed became assistant director of the Kodaikanal and Madras observatories in India, later becoming director. Evershed retired in 1923, returning to England; in 1925, he built his own solar observatory at Ewhurst.
Evershed, Mary
Evershed, Mary
Person · 1867 - 1949

Mary Evershed (1 January 1867 – 25 October 1949) was a British astronomer and scholar of Dante Alighieri’s works. She is noted for her research in solar astronomy and her collaboration with her husband, John Evershed, at the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory in India.
Fowler, Alfred
Fowler, Alfred
Person · 1868 - 1940

Alfred Fowler (22 March 1868 – 24 June 1940) was a British astronomer and astrophysicist renowned for his pioneering work in astronomical spectroscopy. He served as Professor of Astrophysics at Imperial College London and was an authority on the spectra of stars, the Sun, and nebulae. He was active in the International Astronomical Union and served as its first General Secretary (1919–1922). In recognition of his contributions, he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1918.
Goldberg, Leo
Goldberg, Leo
Person · 1913 - 1987

Leo (Leopold) Goldberg (26 January 1913 – 1 November 1987) was an American astronomer renowned for his work in solar physics, stellar spectroscopy, and atomic physics, as well as for his leadership of major observatories. Educated at Harvard under Donald H. Menzel, he introduced key concepts such as microturbulence in stellar spectra and advanced early space-based solar observations. Goldberg served as Director of the University of Michigan’s Astronomy Department (1946–1960), Harvard College Observatory (1966–1971), and Kitt Peak National Observatory (1971–1977), and was President of both the American Astronomical Society and the International Astronomical Union. A skilled scientific diplomat during the Cold War, he received numerous honors, including NASA’s Distinguished Service Medal, and left a lasting legacy in observational and institutional astronomy.
Goldingham, John
Goldingham, John
Person · 1767 - 1849

John Goldingham was a notable figure in astronomy and engineering, serving as the first official astronomer of the Madras Observatory and later becoming the Presidency Civil Engineer in 1800. During his tenure, Goldingham established the Madras time, 5 hours and 21 minutes ahead of GMT, laying the closest precedent to the later Indian Standard Time adopted in 1906. His work was influential in astronomy, contributing to the publication of the 'Madras Catalogue' that documented the positions of 11,000 stars.