Carl Otto Lampland
Encyclopedia
Carl Otto Lampland was an American astronomer
.
Carl Otto Lampland was born near Hayfield
in Dodge County, Minnesota
. He was born into a family of ten children. Both his father Ole Helliksen Lampland (1834–1914) and his mother Berit Gulliksdatter Skartum (1850–1943) were born in Norway
.
He was educated first at Valparaiso Normal school
in Valparaiso, Indiana
, where he earned a B.S. degree in 1899. He then studied at Indiana University
, where he received a B.A. degree in astronomy in 1902, an M.A. in 1906, and an honorary LL.D in 1930.
He first went to Lowell Observatory
in 1902. In the early part of his career at Lowell, Lampland was closely involved with Percival Lowell
in planetary observation. Here he created and maintained telescopes. He constructed include a thermometer to measure temperatures on other planets. He designed cameras used for astronomy and also designed and maintained telescopes, including resilvering the mirror of the 40 inches (1,016 mm) telescope. He also constructed thermocouple
s and used them to measure temperatures of planet
s. He won the Royal Photographic Society
Medal in 1905 for the camera which he designed for the 24-inch Clark telescope
.
Together with William Coblentz
, he measured large differences between the day and night temperatures on Mars
which implied a thin Martian atmosphere. He discovered the asteroid
1604 Tombaugh
. Lampland lunar crater
on the Moon
was named after him as is an Impact crater
on Mars
. The asteroid 1767 Lampland
is also named after him.
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...
.
Carl Otto Lampland was born near Hayfield
Hayfield, Minnesota
Hayfield is a city in Dodge County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,340 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Transportation:...
in Dodge County, Minnesota
Dodge County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,731 people, 6,420 households, and 4,853 families residing in the county. The population density was 40 people per square mile . There were 6,642 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile...
. He was born into a family of ten children. Both his father Ole Helliksen Lampland (1834–1914) and his mother Berit Gulliksdatter Skartum (1850–1943) were born in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
.
He was educated first at Valparaiso Normal school
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso University, known colloquially as Valpo, is a regionally accredited private university located in the city of Valparaiso in the U.S. state of Indiana. Founded in 1859, it consists of five undergraduate colleges, a graduate school, a nursing school and a law school...
in Valparaiso, Indiana
Valparaiso, Indiana
Valparaiso is a city in and the county seat of Porter County, Indiana, United States. The population was 31,730 at the 2010 census, making it the 2nd largest city in Porter County.-History:...
, where he earned a B.S. degree in 1899. He then studied at Indiana University
Indiana University Bloomington
Indiana University Bloomington is a public research university located in Bloomington, Indiana, in the United States. IU Bloomington is the flagship campus of the Indiana University system. Being the flagship campus, IU Bloomington is often referred to simply as IU or Indiana...
, where he received a B.A. degree in astronomy in 1902, an M.A. in 1906, and an honorary LL.D in 1930.
He first went to Lowell Observatory
Lowell Observatory
Lowell Observatory is an astronomical observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. Lowell Observatory was established in 1894, placing it among the oldest observatories in the United States, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965....
in 1902. In the early part of his career at Lowell, Lampland was closely involved with Percival Lowell
Percival Lowell
Percival Lawrence Lowell was a businessman, author, mathematician, and astronomer who fueled speculation that there were canals on Mars, founded the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, and formed the beginning of the effort that led to the discovery of Pluto 14 years after his death...
in planetary observation. Here he created and maintained telescopes. He constructed include a thermometer to measure temperatures on other planets. He designed cameras used for astronomy and also designed and maintained telescopes, including resilvering the mirror of the 40 inches (1,016 mm) telescope. He also constructed thermocouple
Thermocouple
A thermocouple is a device consisting of two different conductors that produce a voltage proportional to a temperature difference between either end of the pair of conductors. Thermocouples are a widely used type of temperature sensor for measurement and control and can also be used to convert a...
s and used them to measure temperatures of planet
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
s. He won the Royal Photographic Society
Royal Photographic Society
The Royal Photographic Society is the world's oldest national photographic society. It was founded in London, United Kingdom in 1853 as The Photographic Society of London with the objective of promoting the Art and Science of Photography...
Medal in 1905 for the camera which he designed for the 24-inch Clark telescope
Alvan Clark
Alvan Clark , born in Ashfield, Massachusetts, the descendant of a Cape Cod whaling family of English ancestry, was an American astronomer and telescope maker. He was a portrait painter and engraver , and at the age of 40 became involved in telescope making...
.
Together with William Coblentz
William Coblentz
William Weber Coblentz was an American physicist notable for his contributions to infrared radiometry and spectroscopy.-Early life, education, and employment:...
, he measured large differences between the day and night temperatures on Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
which implied a thin Martian atmosphere. He discovered the asteroid
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
1604 Tombaugh
1604 Tombaugh
1604 Tombaugh is an asteroid discovered by Carl Otto Lampland on March 24, 1931 at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. It was named after Clyde W. Tombaugh, who discovered the dwarf planet Pluto in 1930. The asteroid's original designation was 1931 FH.-External links:*...
. Lampland lunar crater
Lampland (lunar crater)
Lampland is a crater on the far side of the Moon. It lies to the west-southwest of the crater Subbotin, and to the north-northwest of Eötvös. About four crater diameters to the north-northwest lies the prominent Tsiolkovskiy....
on the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
was named after him as is an Impact crater
Impact crater
In the broadest sense, the term impact crater can be applied to any depression, natural or manmade, resulting from the high velocity impact of a projectile with a larger body...
on Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
. The asteroid 1767 Lampland
1767 Lampland
1767 Lampland is the name of an asteroid which was discovered on September 7, 1962 at Goethe Link Observatory near Brooklyn, Indiana by the Indiana Asteroid Program. It is named after Carl Otto Lampland.-References:...
is also named after him.
Other sources
- Slipher, Earl C. The Photographic Story of Mars (Cambridge Massachusetts: Sky Publishing. 1962)