Lyman Spitzer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lyman Spitzer
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| Born |
Lyman Spitzer Jr.
June 26, 1914 |
| Died | March 31, 1997 (aged 82) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Phillips Academy Princeton University (Ph.D.) Yale University (B.A.) |
| Known for | Research in star formation and plasma physics Promotion of space telescopes |
| Spouse(s) | Doreen Canaday (1940) |
| Awards | Henry Draper Medal (1974) National Medal of Science (1979) Crafoord Prize (1985) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Theoretical physics |
| Doctoral advisor | Henry Norris Russell |
| Doctoral students | John Richard Gott Bruce Elmegreen George B. Field J. Beverley Oke Trinh Xuan Thuan |
Lyman Spitzer Jr. (born June 26, 1914 – died March 31, 1997) was an important American scientist. He was a physicist, an astronomer, and even a mountaineer.
Spitzer is famous for his ideas about space telescopes. He thought of putting telescopes in space way back in 1946. He also studied how stars are born and worked with plasma physics. Plasma is a super hot, charged gas, like what you find in stars. He invented a device called the stellarator to study plasma. NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope is named after him.
Contents
Early Life and School
Lyman Spitzer Jr. was born in Toledo, Ohio. His family was Presbyterian. He went to Phillips Academy and then to Yale University. At Yale, he was a very good student.
Later, he studied at Cambridge University. He was influenced by famous scientists there. Spitzer then earned his Ph.D. in physics from Princeton University in 1938. His main teacher was Henry Norris Russell, another well-known astronomer.
A Mountain Climber
Lyman Spitzer Jr. was not just a scientist; he loved climbing mountains! In 1965, he and Donald Morton were the first people to climb Mount Thor. This mountain is in Canada and is about 1,675 meters (5,495 feet) tall.
Spitzer also helped other climbers. He started an award called the "Lyman Spitzer Cutting Edge Climbing Award." This award gives money to help mountain climbing expeditions.
His Amazing Science Work
Spitzer's work at Yale University was paused during World War II. He helped develop sonar, which uses sound waves to detect objects underwater.
In 1947, when he was only 33, he became the director of the Princeton University Observatory. He led this important place for many years.
Spitzer spent a lot of time studying the interstellar medium. This is the gas and dust found in the space between stars. He was one of the first to understand that stars are always forming in space. His books on this topic became standard guides for other scientists.
He also led a big project at Princeton University called Project Matterhorn. This project studied controlled thermonuclear fusion, which is a way to create energy like the sun does. This lab is now known as the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory.
One of Spitzer's biggest ideas was about space telescopes. He strongly believed that telescopes in space would give us much clearer views of the universe. This idea later led to the creation of the famous Hubble Space Telescope.
His Final Years
Lyman Spitzer Jr. passed away suddenly on March 31, 1997. He had just finished a normal day of work at Princeton University. He was buried in Princeton Cemetery. He had a wife, Doreen, four children, and ten grandchildren. One of his children, Nicholas C. Spitzer, is also a well-known scientist.
Honors and Awards
Lyman Spitzer Jr. received many awards for his important work:
- Henry Norris Russell Lectureship (1953)
- Bruce Medal (1973)
- Henry Draper Medal (1974)
- James Clerk Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics (1975)
- Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society (1978)
- National Medal of Science (1979)
- Franklin Medal (1980)
- Crafoord Prize (1985)
Many things have been named after him:
- Asteroid 2160 Spitzer
- Spitzer Space Telescope
- Lyman Spitzer Library at Yale University
- Lyman Spitzer Building at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
- Lyman Spitzer Planetarium in St. Johnsbury, Vermont
- Spitzer Building in Toledo, Ohio
See also
In Spanish: Lyman Spitzer Jr. para niños
