John Brashear facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Brashear
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| Born | November 24, 1840 |
| Died | April 8, 1920 (aged 79) |
| Organization | University of Pittsburgh |
| Awards | Elliott Cresson Medal (1910) |
John Alfred Brashear (born November 24, 1840 – died April 8, 1920) was an American astronomer. He was also a skilled builder of scientific instruments.
Contents
Early Life and Inspiration
John Brashear was born in Brownsville, Pennsylvania. This town is about 35 miles (56 km) south of Pittsburgh. His father, Basil, was a saddler. His mother, Julia, was a school teacher. John was the oldest of seven children.
His maternal grandfather, Nathanial Smith, greatly influenced him. Nathanial repaired clocks. When John was nine, his grandfather took him to see through a telescope. This telescope belonged to 'Squire' Joseph P. Wampler. Seeing the Moon and the planet Saturn through it changed John's life forever.
John went to school until he was 15. After that, he became an apprentice to a machinist. By age 20, he had mastered this trade.
Building His Own Telescope
In 1861, John Brashear started working in a steel mill in Pittsburgh. He loved astronomy and studied it at night. His wife, Phoebe Stewart, helped him. They met in 1861 and married in 1862. Phoebe was a Sunday school teacher.
John and Phoebe did not have enough money to buy a telescope. So, John decided to build his own. He made a workshop from a small coal shed behind his house. There, he began to build his own refractor telescope.
A Master Instrument Maker
Starting in 1880, John Brashear focused on making astronomical instruments. He also built other scientific tools. He performed many experiments. He created a better way to apply silver coatings to mirrors. This method became known as the "Brashear Process." It was the standard way to coat mirrors until 1932.
John Brashear did not patent many of his instruments. He never patented his special techniques. He started the "John A. Brashear Co." with his son-in-law, James Brown McDowell. This company is still based in Pittsburgh today.
His instruments became famous around the world. Many important observatories bought his optical parts and tools. They were known for their high quality. Some of his instruments are still used today.
Leadership and Legacy
In 1892, John Brashear traveled to Europe for a lecture tour. In 1898, he became the director of the Allegheny Observatory in Pittsburgh. He held this position until 1900.
From 1901 to 1904, he was the acting chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh. He had been a member of its board of trustees since 1896. Brashear also served as a trustee for the Carnegie Institute of Technology. He was also the President of the Academy of Science and Art.
John and Phoebe Brashear were active in their church. John directed the choir at Bingham Street Methodist Episcopal Church. He also started the Cantata Society. This group was made up of church choirs from Pittsburgh's South Side.
At the Panama–Pacific International Exposition in 1915, a large telescope with Brashear optics was shown. Pennsylvania's Governor, Martin Grove Brumbaugh, called Brashear "the State's most distinguished man." This telescope is still used today at the Chabot Space and Science Center in California.
John Brashear was greatly admired by people in western Pennsylvania. Astronomers worldwide also loved him. They often called him "Uncle John."
Later Life and Passing
In 1919, John Brashear became very ill. He suffered from food poisoning. He died at age 79 at his home on Perrysville Avenue. His body was displayed in the Great Hall of the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum.
His ashes are buried with his wife's. They rest in a crypt below the Keeler Telescope at Allegheny Observatory. A plaque on their crypt has a famous quote: "We have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night." This is from a poem by Sarah Williams. John was survived by his daughter and several siblings.
Honors and Recognition
- In 1902, he became a member of the American Philosophical Society.
- He received the Elliott Cresson Medal from The Franklin Institute in 1910. This award recognizes scientific achievements.
- The Brashear Association was started in 1916 to honor him.
- In 2012, his home and factory in Pittsburgh were added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Named for John Brashear
Many things have been named after John Brashear:
- The crater Brashear on the Moon.
- The crater Brashear on Mars.
- Asteroid 5502 Brashear.
- Brashear High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (opened in 1976).
- Brashear Street in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
- One of the telescopes at the Goodsell Observatory.
- The Brashear 11-Inch Refractor at the Nicholas E. Wagman Observatory near Pittsburgh.
See also
In Spanish: John Brashear para niños
- List of astronomical instrument makers
- Chabot Space & Science Center, Oakland, California
