Oskar Backlund facts for kids
Johan Oskar Backlund (born April 28, 1846 – died August 29, 1916) was a famous Swedish-Russian astronomer. He spent his whole career in Russia, where he was known as Oskar Andreevich Baklund. Sometimes, you might see his name as Jöns Oskar Backlund. Because Russia used a different calendar back then (the Julian calendar), his birth and death dates might sometimes appear as April 16, 1846, and August 16, 1916.
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Life and Work
Oskar Backlund was born in a place called Länghem in Västergötland, Sweden. He studied at Uppsala University and finished his studies in 1872. After getting his special degree (doctorate) in 1875, he moved to Russia in 1876.
He first worked at the Dorpat Observatory in what is now Tartu, Estonia. Then, in 1879, he moved to the Pulkovo Observatory. He became the director of this important observatory in 1895 and stayed in that role until he passed away.
Studying Comets and Planets
Oskar Backlund was an expert in celestial mechanics. This is a science that studies how planets, comets, and other space objects move. He spent a lot of time calculating the path of a special comet called Comet Encke. He had to consider how other planets might pull on the comet and change its path.
He even used his observations of Comet Encke to try and figure out how heavy the planet Mercury was! Because of his important work, some people in Russia even called the comet "Comet Encke-Backlund."
Exploring Earth's Shape
Besides studying space, he also did geodesic studies. This means he helped measure and understand the shape of the Earth. He did this work in a cold place called Spitzbergen between 1898 and 1900.
Recognized for His Discoveries
Oskar Backlund was recognized by many important science groups. He became a member of the Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences in 1883. Later, he joined the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1897 and became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1911. In 1914, he was also made an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Family
Oskar Backlund was married to Ulrika Catharina Widebeck. They had a daughter named Elsa Celsing, who grew up to be a well-known artist. Their son, Helge Gotrik Backlund (born September 3, 1878 – died 1958), became a geologist and explorer.
Honors
Awards
- Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society (1909)
- Bruce Medal (1914)
Named After Him
- The crater Backlund on the Moon
- Asteroid 856 Backlunda
- Backlundtoppen, a mountain in Olav V Land at Spitsbergen, Svalbard.
