Julio Garavito Armero facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Julio Garavito Armero
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| Born | January 5, 1865 |
| Died | March 11, 1920 (aged 55) |
| Nationality | Colombian |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Astronomy (Celestial mechanics) |
| Institutions | Observatorio Astronómico Nacional de Colombia |
Julio Garavito Armero (born January 5, 1865 – died March 11, 1920) was a very important Colombian astronomer and engineer. He made big contributions to science in Colombia.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Julio Garavito was born in Bogotá, Colombia. From a young age, he showed amazing talent in science and mathematics. People called him a child prodigy because he was so good at these subjects.
He studied at the National University of Colombia. There, he earned degrees in both mathematics and civil engineering. This means he learned how to solve complex math problems and how to design and build things like bridges and roads.
Overcoming Challenges
When he was young, Julio had to stop his studies for a while. This was because of civil wars happening in Colombia around 1885. These wars made it hard for many people to continue their normal lives.
During another war, called the Thousand Days War, Julio Garavito was part of a secret science group. This group was called El Círculo de los Nueve Puntos (The Circle of the Nine Points). To join, you had to solve a difficult math problem! This group stayed active until Julio passed away.
Scientific Work and Discoveries
In 1892, Julio Garavito became the director of the National Astronomical Observatory. This was a very important job for an astronomer. He published many of his research papers in a journal called Los Anales de Ingeniería (The Annals of Engineering).
Studying the Cosmos
As an astronomer, Julio did many useful scientific studies. He calculated the exact latitude of Bogotá. This is important for mapping and understanding locations on Earth.
He also studied comets that flew past Earth between 1901 and 1910. One famous comet he observed was Comet Halley. He also studied a solar eclipse in 1916, which was visible across most of Colombia.
Lunar Influence and Earth's Orbit
Perhaps his most important work was about celestial mechanics. This is the study of how planets and other objects move in space. Julio Garavito studied how the Moon affects Earth. He looked at how lunar changes might influence weather, floods, and even the polar ice. He also studied how the Moon affects Earth's orbit, which was later proven to be correct.
Other Contributions
Julio Garavito also worked on other interesting projects. He started studying optics, which is about light and vision, but he couldn't finish this work before he died.
He also helped Colombia's economics. After the civil wars, the country needed to recover. Julio gave talks and lectures about how to improve the economy. He also talked about how human factors, like war or too many people (overpopulation), could affect a country's money situation.
Later, he led the Chorographic Commission. This group worked on building railways in Colombia. They also helped define the border between Colombia and Venezuela. Some people believe he even questioned Albert Einstein's famous theory of relativity! Julio Garavito is often compared to other great Colombian scientists like José Celestino Mutis and Francisco José de Caldas.
Interesting Facts
Julio Garavito Armero is remembered in many ways.
- A crater on the far side of the Moon is named Garavito in his honor.
- One of Colombia's best universities, the Escuela Colombiana de Ingeniería (Colombian School of Engineering "Julio Garavito"), is named after him. It was started in 1972 and focuses on science and engineering.
- His face appears on the 20,000 colombian peso bill. The bill also shows the Moon and Earth seen from the Moon. Because of this, and the bill's blue color, some people have a fun local belief. They think that if you bring blue candles and blue flowers to his grave in the Central Cemetery of Bogotá and pray there, it can help you become wealthy!
See also
