Bertil Lindblad facts for kids

Bertil Lindblad was a famous Swedish astronomer. He was born in Örebro, Sweden, on November 26, 1895. He passed away in Saltsjöbaden, near Stockholm, on June 25, 1965. Lindblad made very important discoveries about how galaxies move and spin.

Early Life and Education

Bertil Lindblad finished his high school studies in Örebro. After that, he went to Uppsala University in 1914. He worked hard and earned several degrees there. By 1920, he had completed his doctorate and became a university lecturer.

Leading the Stockholm Observatory

In 1927, Lindblad became a professor and astronomer for the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. He also became the head of the Stockholm Observatory. This was a big job! He was in charge of moving the observatory from its old building in the city center. He helped set up a brand new facility in Saltsjöbaden Observatory. This new observatory opened in 1931.

Discoveries About Galaxies

Lindblad spent a lot of time studying how galaxies rotate. He carefully watched how stars appeared to move in the sky. From these observations, he figured out how our own galaxy, the Milky Way, was spinning.

He discovered that stars in the outer parts of the Milky Way, where our Sun is, spin slower. This speed also changed depending on how far they were from the galaxy's center. Another astronomer, Jan Hendrik Oort, soon confirmed Lindblad's ideas in 1927.

Lindblad's work led to the naming of "Lindblad resonances". These are special patterns of movement found in spinning disks of stars or gas. You can find these patterns in disks around stars or in galaxies.

Family

Bertil Lindblad's son, Per-Olof Lindblad, also grew up to become an astronomer.

Honors and Recognition

Bertil Lindblad received many awards for his important work. People also named things after him to honor his contributions to astronomy.

Awards He Received

• Janssen Medal from the French Academy of Sciences (1938)
• Prix Jules Janssen from the French astronomical society (1949)
• Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society (1948)
• Bruce Medal (1954)

Things Named After Him

• Lindblad (crater) on the Moon
• Asteroid 1448 Lindbladia

See also

In Spanish: Bertil Lindblad para niños