Carl Keenan Seyfert
Encyclopedia
Carl Keenan Seyfert was an American
astronomer
.
He is best known for his 1943 research paper on high-excitation line emission from the centers of some spiral galaxies, which are named Seyfert galaxies
after him. Seyfert's Sextet
, a group of galaxies, is also named after him.
, starting in 1929. He earned his B.S. degree there, and then his M.S. degree (1933). In 1936 he received his Ph.D. in astronomy. His thesis was "Studies of the External Galaxies", supervised by Harlow Shapley
. The thesis dealt with colors and magnitudes of galaxies
.
In 1936 he joined the staff of the new McDonald Observatory
in Texas, where he helped get the observatory started. He stayed until 1940, working with Daniel M. Popper on the properties of faint B stars and continuing his work on colors in spiral galaxies
.
In 1940 he went to Mt. Wilson Observatory as a fellow with the National Research Council
. He stayed until 1942, studying a class of active galaxies now called Seyfert galaxies
. In 1942 he returned to Cleveland, at Case Institute of Technology, where he taught navigation to military personnel and participated in secret military research. He also carried out some astronomical research at the Warner and Swasey Observatory
of the Case Institute.
In 1946 he joined the faculty of Vanderbilt University
in Nashville, Tennessee. The astronomy program at Vanderbilt was very small at the time. The university had only a small observatory, equipped with a 6 inches (152.4 mm) refractor
, and only a modest teaching program.
Seyfert worked diligently to improve the teaching program and to raise funds to build a new observatory. Within a few years, he had obtained significant public support from the Nashville community. As the result, the Arthur J. Dyer Observatory
with its 24 inches (609.6 mm) reflector
was completed in December 1953. Seyfert became director of the new observatory, a position he held until his death.
He died in an automobile accident in Nashville on June 13, 1960.
In 1943 he published a paper on galaxies with bright nuclei that emit light with emission line spectra with characteristically broadened emission lines. The prototype example is Messier 77
(NGC 1068). It is this class of galaxies that is now known as Seyfert galaxies, in his honor.
During his time at the Case Institute, he and Nassau obtained the first good color images of nebulae and stellar spectra. In 1951 he observed and described a group of galaxies around NGC 6027
, now known as Seyfert's Sextet. He was an active innovator in instrumentation, being involved in new techniques such as the astronomical use of photomultiplier tubes and television techniques, and electronically controlled telescope drives.
The lunar crater Seyfert
is named in his honor (29.1N, 114.6E, 110 km diameter). The 24 inches (609.6 mm) telescope at Dyer Observatory
was renamed for him.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
.
He is best known for his 1943 research paper on high-excitation line emission from the centers of some spiral galaxies, which are named Seyfert galaxies
Seyfert galaxy
Seyfert galaxies are a class of galaxies with nuclei that produce spectral line emission from highly ionized gas, named after Carl Keenan Seyfert, the astronomer who first identified the class in 1943...
after him. Seyfert's Sextet
Seyfert's Sextet
Seyfert's Sextet is a group of galaxies about 190 million light-years away in the constellation Serpens Caput. The group appears to contain six members, but one of the galaxies is a background object and another "galaxy" is actually a separated part of one of the other galaxies. The gravitational...
, a group of galaxies, is also named after him.
Biography
Seyfert grew up in Cleveland, then attended Harvard UniversityHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, starting in 1929. He earned his B.S. degree there, and then his M.S. degree (1933). In 1936 he received his Ph.D. in astronomy. His thesis was "Studies of the External Galaxies", supervised by Harlow Shapley
Harlow Shapley
Harlow Shapley was an American astronomer.-Career:He was born on a farm in Nashville, Missouri, and dropped out of school with only the equivalent of a fifth-grade education...
. The thesis dealt with colors and magnitudes of galaxies
Galaxy
A galaxy is a massive, gravitationally bound system that consists of stars and stellar remnants, an interstellar medium of gas and dust, and an important but poorly understood component tentatively dubbed dark matter. The word galaxy is derived from the Greek galaxias , literally "milky", a...
.
In 1936 he joined the staff of the new McDonald Observatory
McDonald Observatory
The McDonald Observatory is an astronomical observatory located near the unincorporated community of Fort Davis in Jeff Davis County, Texas, United States. The facility is located on Mount Fowlkes and Mount Locke in the Davis Mountains of West Texas...
in Texas, where he helped get the observatory started. He stayed until 1940, working with Daniel M. Popper on the properties of faint B stars and continuing his work on colors in spiral galaxies
Spiral galaxy
A spiral galaxy is a certain kind of galaxy originally described by Edwin Hubble in his 1936 work The Realm of the Nebulae and, as such, forms part of the Hubble sequence. Spiral galaxies consist of a flat, rotating disk containing stars, gas and dust, and a central concentration of stars known as...
.
In 1940 he went to Mt. Wilson Observatory as a fellow with the National Research Council
United States National Research Council
The National Research Council of the USA is the working arm of the United States National Academies, carrying out most of the studies done in their names.The National Academies include:* National Academy of Sciences...
. He stayed until 1942, studying a class of active galaxies now called Seyfert galaxies
Seyfert galaxy
Seyfert galaxies are a class of galaxies with nuclei that produce spectral line emission from highly ionized gas, named after Carl Keenan Seyfert, the astronomer who first identified the class in 1943...
. In 1942 he returned to Cleveland, at Case Institute of Technology, where he taught navigation to military personnel and participated in secret military research. He also carried out some astronomical research at the Warner and Swasey Observatory
Warner and Swasey Observatory
The Warner and Swasey Observatory is the astronomical observatory of Case Western Reserve University. Named after Worcester R. Warner and Ambrose Swasey, who built it at the beginning of the 20th century, it was initially located on Taylor Road in East Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
of the Case Institute.
In 1946 he joined the faculty of Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
in Nashville, Tennessee. The astronomy program at Vanderbilt was very small at the time. The university had only a small observatory, equipped with a 6 inches (152.4 mm) refractor
Refracting telescope
A refracting or refractor telescope is a type of optical telescope that uses a lens as its objective to form an image . The refracting telescope design was originally used in spy glasses and astronomical telescopes but is also used for long focus camera lenses...
, and only a modest teaching program.
Seyfert worked diligently to improve the teaching program and to raise funds to build a new observatory. Within a few years, he had obtained significant public support from the Nashville community. As the result, the Arthur J. Dyer Observatory
Dyer Observatory
The Dyer Observatory, also known as the Arthur J. Dyer Observatory, is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by Vanderbilt University. Built in 1953, it is located in Brentwood, Tennessee, and is the only university facility not located on the main campus in Nashville. The observatory is...
with its 24 inches (609.6 mm) reflector
Reflecting telescope
A reflecting telescope is an optical telescope which uses a single or combination of curved mirrors that reflect light and form an image. The reflecting telescope was invented in the 17th century as an alternative to the refracting telescope which, at that time, was a design that suffered from...
was completed in December 1953. Seyfert became director of the new observatory, a position he held until his death.
He died in an automobile accident in Nashville on June 13, 1960.
His contributions to astronomy
Carl Seyfert published many papers in the astronomical literature, on a wide variety of topics in stellar and galactic astronomy, as well as on observing methods and instrumentation.In 1943 he published a paper on galaxies with bright nuclei that emit light with emission line spectra with characteristically broadened emission lines. The prototype example is Messier 77
Messier 77
Messier 77 is a barred spiral galaxy about 47 million light-years away in the constellation Cetus. Messier 77 is an active galaxy with an Active Galactic Nucleus , which is obscured from view by astronomical dust at visible wavelengths...
(NGC 1068). It is this class of galaxies that is now known as Seyfert galaxies, in his honor.
During his time at the Case Institute, he and Nassau obtained the first good color images of nebulae and stellar spectra. In 1951 he observed and described a group of galaxies around NGC 6027
NGC 6027
NGC 6027 is a Lenticular galaxy that is the brightest member of Seyfert's Sextet, a compact group of galaxies. Edouard Stephan discovered the galaxy in 1882.- See also :* NGC 6027a* NGC 6027b* NGC 6027c* NGC 6027d* NGC 6027e* Seyfert's Sextet...
, now known as Seyfert's Sextet. He was an active innovator in instrumentation, being involved in new techniques such as the astronomical use of photomultiplier tubes and television techniques, and electronically controlled telescope drives.
The lunar crater Seyfert
Seyfert (crater)
Seyfert is a prominent lunar impact crater that is located on the far side of the Moon. It lies behind the eastern limb of the Moon, to the east of the crater Espin...
is named in his honor (29.1N, 114.6E, 110 km diameter). The 24 inches (609.6 mm) telescope at Dyer Observatory
Dyer Observatory
The Dyer Observatory, also known as the Arthur J. Dyer Observatory, is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by Vanderbilt University. Built in 1953, it is located in Brentwood, Tennessee, and is the only university facility not located on the main campus in Nashville. The observatory is...
was renamed for him.