Pieces of the Past from Michigan Astronomy
ACTING DIRECTOR 1945-46 Allan Douglas Maxwell began teaching astronomy at the University of Michigan in 1928. Following W. Carl Rufus’ retirement in July 1945, Maxwell was appointed as Acting Director of the Observatories. He began the regrouping and reorganization of the Astronomy Department at the end of World War II. One year later, Maxwell resigned […]
Director, Detroit Observatory 1946-60 Leo Goldberg was born in Brooklyn, New York on January 26, 1913, the son of Polish immigrants. In 1922, a fire in their apartment building killed his mother and younger brother, hospitalizing Leo for many months. Later, after excelling in science and mathematics in school, Goldberg won a scholarship to Harvard,
Director, Detroit Observatory, 1854-63 Franz Friedrich Ernst Brünnow was born November 18, 1821 in Berlin, Germany. When University of Michigan President Henry P. Tappan traveled to Europe to obtain astronomical instruments for the Detroit Observatory, he engaged Brünnow to supervise the construction and testing of a meridian circle telescope and an astronomical clock, and later
FRANZ F. E. BRÜNNOW Read More »
ACTING DIRECTOR 1960-61 Freeman Devold Miller was born on January 4, 1909 in Somerville, Massachusetts. He was educated at Harvard University, receiving a Ph.D. in astronomy in 1934. He served as director of the Swasey Observatory at Denison University from 1934 to 1940. Following his service in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Miller
DIRECTOR 1962-70 Orren Cuthbert Mohler was born on July 29, 1908 in Indianapolis, Indiana. He received his A.B. in 1929 from Michigan Normal College (now Eastern Michigan), and he earned an M.A. in 1930 and Ph.D. in 1933 from the University of Michigan. From 1933 to 1940, Mohler taught astronomy at Swarthmore College, and worked
The text below was originally written by Dave Snyder and appeared in the University Lowbrow Astronomers’ newsletter Reflections in December, 1998. The 2002 revision of the story was published on the Lowbrow’s website. Henry Tappan (first president of the University of Michigan) wanted the University to have an observatory. He solicited funds from some citizens
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DIRECTOR Detroit Observatory 1970-82 Born in 1914, Hiltner received his Bachelors of Science in 1937 from the University of Toledo. He received his Masters degree in 1938, was a Rackham Fellow in 1941, and received his Ph.D. degree in 1942 from the University of Michigan. He joined the faculty at the University of Chicago in
