Angelo Heilprin facts for kids
Angelo Heilprin (born March 31, 1853 – died July 17, 1907) was an American scientist. He was a geologist (someone who studies Earth's rocks and history). He was also a paleontologist (who studies fossils). Besides that, he was a naturalist and an explorer.
He is best known for his part in the Peary expedition to Greenland of 1891–1892. He also made important observations and took photos of the 1902 eruption of Montagne Pelée in Martinique. Angelo Heilprin was also a mountaineer and a painter.
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About Angelo Heilprin
Angelo Heilprin was born in a place called Sátoraljaújhely. This was in the Kingdom of Hungary. His family was Jewish. He came to the United States in 1856 with his father Michael and his brother Louis. They came from the Austrian Empire.
He went back to Europe in 1876 for two years. He wanted to finish his education there. He studied at the Royal School of Mines in London. He also went to the Imperial Geological Institution of Vienna. He studied in Florence and Geneva. In Florence, he had his only formal training in painting. He also visited Hungary to climb mountains in the Carpathians. He spent six months visiting family in Poland.
After his studies, he became a professor. He taught invertebrate paleontology and geology. This was at the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia (from 1880 to 1900). He was also the curator of the museum there (1883–1892). From 1885 to 1890, he was a geology professor at the Wagner Free Institute of Science in Philadelphia. He was also the first president of the Geographical Society of Philadelphia. He led this society for seven years.
Angelo Heilprin was also a talented painter. He showed his painting Autumn's First Whisper in 1880. This was at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. In 1883, his painting Forest Exiles was shown. This was at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.
In 1902, he started the American Alpine Club. This club is for people who love mountain climbing. In 1904, he became a lecturer at Yale.
His Scientific Journeys
Angelo Heilprin's life was a mix of research trips and teaching. He traveled to many places for his studies. These included Florida, the Bermudas, Mexico, Greenland, and Martinique. He also studied areas closer to home. His skills as a mountaineer helped him a lot in his scientific work.
In 1886, Heilprin explored the west coast of Florida. This area was not well known at the time.
In 1887, he went to the Bermudas. He went with some of his students. They studied coral reefs there. His studies supported Charles Darwin's ideas from 1842. Darwin had written about coral reefs in his book The structure and distribution of coral reefs.
In 1888, Heilprin traveled to Mexico. He climbed several volcanoes there. These included Ixtaccihuatl, Nevado de Toluca, Pico de Orizaba, and Popocatepetl. He used a barometer to measure their heights. He also learned more about the geology of the Yucatan. He studied the coral reefs in the western Gulf of Mexico.
In 1891, Heilprin joined Robert Peary on an expedition to Greenland. The Academy of Natural Sciences organized this trip. Peary led the main expedition. His goal was to prove that Greenland is an island. Heilprin led the "Western Expedition" team of scientists. The scientists gathered information and then returned to the U.S. Peary stayed in Greenland. The next year, Heilprin went back to Greenland. He led the "Peary relief expedition" to help Peary.
In 1902, the Montagne Pelée volcano in Martinique erupted. It destroyed the city of Saint-Pierre. Heilprin was one of the first scientists to arrive. His work, photos, and personal accounts of the eruption are very important. He was the first geologist to climb part of the volcano's crater. He visited again in 1903. In February 1906, he even went down into the crater itself.
How He Is Remembered
- In 1976, the American Alpine Club created an award. It is called the "Angelo Heilprin Citation." They give it out every year.
- The Heilprin Glacier in Greenland was named after him. This was done by Robert Peary. It is a large ice river in northwest Greenland.
Animals Named After Him
- A type of bird, the Cyanocorax heilprini (Azure-naped Jay), was named after him. It belongs to the crow family.
- A type of frog, Hypsiboas heilprini, also has his name.
Selected Works
Online at Google Books Online at Google Books Online at Google Books Online at Google Books Online at Google Books Volume VII of The iconographic encyclopaedia
