Albert Whitford (astronomer)

Albert Edward Whitford (October 22, 1905 – March 28, 2002) was an American physicist and astronomer.[1] He served as director of the Washburn Observatory of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Lick Observatory.

For the member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, see Albert Whitford (politician).
Albert Whitford
Born
Albert Edward Whitford

(1905-10-22)October 22, 1905
Milton, Wisconsin, Wisconsin, United States
DiedMarch 28, 2002(2002-03-28) (aged 96)
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
Resting placeMilton Cemetery
Milton, Wisconsin
NationalityAmerican
CitizenshipUS
Alma materMilton College
University of Wisconsin
Known forPhotoelectric photometry
SpouseEleanor Bell Whitelaw Whitford
ChildrenWilliam Curtis Whitford
Mary Eleanor Whitford Graves
Martha Neill Whitford Barss
AwardsHenry Norris Russell Lectureship (1986)
Bruce Medal (1996)
Scientific career
FieldsAstronomy
Astrophysics
InstitutionsWashburn Observatory
Lick Observatory
Pine Bluff Observatory

Early life

Albert Whitford was born in Milton, Wisconsin, the son of Alfred and Mary Whitford.[2] He earned his B.A. from Milton College (1926) and his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin (1932).[3]

While studying physics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, he worked as an assistant to astronomer Joel Stebbins helping him in his study of photoelectric photometry.[4] Whitford developed a device for measuring small currents from photoelectric cells, which allowed them to measure fainter stars.[5] He decided to become an astronomer and spent two years at Caltech and Mount Wilson Observatory as a postdoctoral fellow.[3]

Career

During World War II, Whitford worked in the MIT Radiation Laboratory.[6] In 1948, he succeeded Stebbins as director of the Washburn Observatory and served as director until 1958. He was director of Lick Observatory from 1958–1968,[7] and oversaw the completion of the Shane Telescope in 1959.[8] He served as president of the American Astronomical Society from 1967–1970,[3] and later served on the faculties of both the University of California, Santa Cruz and the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

The Whitford reddening curve, quantifying the interstellar absorption of light, was important in the mapping of the distribution of stars in the Milky Way. He also studied the stars in galactic nuclear bulges.

In 1954, Whitford was elected to the National Academy of Sciences.[9] In 1986, Whitford received the Henry Norris Russell Lectureship[10] and in 1996 he was awarded the Bruce Medal.[5]

Death and legacy

Whitford died in Madison, Wisconsin, on March 28, 2002, and a memorial service was held in the auditorium of the Meriter Health Center in Madison.[11]

The asteroid 2301 Whitford is named in his honor.[12]

Personal life

On October 23, 1937, Whitford married Eleanor Bell Whitelaw in Chicago, Illinois. They had three children (William, Mary, and Martha) and nine grandchildren.

References
  1. Osterbrock, Donald E. (January 2003). "Obituary: Albert Edward Whitford". Physics Today. 56 (1): 67–68. Bibcode:2003PhT....56a..67O. doi:10.1063/1.1554147.
  2. "Albert Edward Whitford". National Academy of Sciences. Archived from the original on March 28, 2014. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  3. "In Memoriam Albert E. Whitford". The University of California. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  4. "Albert Edward Whitford". National Academy of Sciences. Archived from the original on March 28, 2014. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  5. "Albert Edward Whitford". The Bruce Medalists. Archived from the original on February 25, 2014. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  6. Office of the Home Secretary, National Academy of Sciences (2009). Biographical Memoirs. Vol. 90. National Academies Press. p. 26. ISBN 9780309146111.
  7. International Astronomical Union (London) (1936). Transactions of the International Astronomical Union. CUP Archive. p. 773.
  8. "Albert Whitford, eminent astronomer and former director of Lick Observatory, dies at 96" (Press release). University of California, Santa Cruz. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  9. National Academy of Sciences (U.S.) (1958). Annual Report - National Academy of Sciences. National Academy of Sciences.
  10. "Henry Norris Russell Lectureship". American Astronomical Society. Archived from the original on March 28, 2014. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  11. "Albert Edward Whitford". University of Southern California. Archived from the original on 1 September 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  12. Schmadel, Lutz D. (2012). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. Springer. ISBN 9783642297182.

Further reading
  • "Big Science: The Growth of Large-scale Research" by Peter Galison, published by Stanford University Press, 1992.
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