Astronomer; born in
Goshen, Conn., Oct. 15, 1829; received a common-school education; worked on a farm; and later became a carpenter.
In 1853 he took up the study of geometry and algebra; subsequently pursued special courses in the
University of
Michigan, and afterwards entered the observatory of Harvard College, where he served as assistant in 1857-62.
In August of the latter year he was made aide in the
United States Naval Observatory in
Washington, and in the following year was appointed
Professor of Mathematics with the relative rank of captain.
In 1895 he became
Professor of Astronomy at Harvard University.
He has led many astronomical expeditions for the government, among them being that to
Bering Sea, in 1869, to observe the solar eclipse, and that to Vladisvostok,
Siberia, in 1874, to study the transit of
Venus.
His most important discovery, which won him great distinction, was that of the two moons of
Mars, which he located in August, 1877, and which he named “Deimos” and “Phobos” (Terror and Fear). The Royal Astronomical Society of
London awarded him its gold medal in 1879.
In 1875 he became a member of the National Academy of Sciences, of which he was president in 1901.
He has contributed articles to many astronomical journals in the
United States and
Europe.
