Harlow Shapley | |
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| Born | November 2, 1885 Nashville, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | October 20, 1972 (aged 86) Boulder, Colorado, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Missouri, Princeton University |
| Known for | Determining correct position of Sun within Milky Way Galaxy; head of Harvard College Observatory (1921–1952) |
| Children | 5, including
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| Awards |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Astronomy |
| Doctoral advisor | Henry Norris Russell |
| Doctoral students | Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, Carl Seyfert |
| Other notable students | Georges Lemaître |
Harlow Shapley (November 2, 1885 – October 20, 1972) was an American scientist, head of the Harvard College Observatory (1921–1952), and political activist during the latter New Deal and Fair Deal.[1][2]
Shapley used Cepheid variable stars to estimate the size of the Milky Way Galaxy and the Sun's position within it.[3] In 1953 he proposed his "liquid water belt" theory, now known as the concept of a habitable zone.[4]
- ^ Goldberg, Leo (January 1973). "Obituary: Harlow Shapley". Physics Today. 26 (1): 107–108. Bibcode:1973PhT....26a.107G. doi:10.1063/1.3127920.
- ^ "Dr. Harlow Shapley Dies at 86. Dean of American Astronomers. Dr. Harlow Shapley, Dean of American Astronomers, Dies at 86". The New York Times. October 21, 1972. Retrieved January 15, 2014.
- ^ Bart J. Bok. Harlow Shapely 1885–1972 A Biographical Memoir. National Academy of Sciences
- ^ Richard J. Hugget, Geoecology: An Evolutionary Approach. p. 10