Heinrich Siedentopf

Heinrich Friedrich Siedentopf (December 1, 1906–November 28, 1963) was a German astronomer and physicist.

He was born in Hannover. In 1930 he became an assistant to Heinrich Vogt, then joined the national observatory in Heidelberg. Between 1940–46 he was a Professor of Astronomy at the University of Jena, and director of the observatory. In 1949 he was a professor at the University of Tübingen,[1] where he later died of a heart attack.

Professor Siedentopf published a total of 146 papers and a textbook. He studied cosmology, stellar convection,[2] photometry and the Zodiacal light.[3] In 1934 he developed an adjustable iris for the Stetson-Schilt photometer, allowing the observer to adjust the light level directed at the astronomical plate.[4][5]

Siedentopf crater on the Moon[6] and the main belt asteroid 5375 Siedentopf were named after him.

References

  1. ^ Barnstedt, Jürgen (2005-09-29). "History and Chronicle of Astronomy in Tübingen". Institut für Astronomie und Astrophysik. http://astro.uni-tuebingen.de/about/history/. Retrieved 2009-04-11. 
  2. ^ Zirker, Jack B. (2002). Journey from the Center of the Sun. Princeton University Press. p. 62. ISBN 0691057818. 
  3. ^ "Obituary: Heinrich Siedentopf". Irish Astronomical Journal 9: 165. Bibcode 1969IrAJ....9..165.. 
  4. ^ "History of Photometry in Astronomical Observations". McCormick Museum. 2005-12-28. http://www.astro.virginia.edu/~rjp0i/museum/photometry.html. Retrieved 2009-04-11. 
  5. ^ Hearnshaw, J. B. (1996). The measurement of starlight: two centuries of astronomical photometry. Cambridge University Press. p. 292. ISBN 0521403936. 
  6. ^ Blue, Jennifer (July 25, 2007). "Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature". USGS. http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/. Retrieved 2007-08-05. 

External links