Chester Lyman
Encyclopedia
Chester Smith Lyman was an American teacher, clergyman and astronomer.
He was born in Manchester, Connecticut
to Chester and Mary Smith Lyman. Chester is the descendant of Richard Lyman, a settler who arrived in America in 1631. Chester's early education was in a country school, but at an early age he showed a strong interest in astronomy and the sciences. By 1833 he had gained admittance to Yale
, and graduated in 1837. In his junior year he became editor of the Yale Literary Magazine and he was a member of Skull and Bones
. He served for two years as Superintendent of Ellington School, then studied theology at the Union and Yale Seminaries. For health reasons he then began to travel.
In 1846 he sailed to Hawaii
and remained for a year
While there he visited missionaries, including his distant cousin David Belden Lyman
.
In 1847 he sailed to California
. There he became a surveyor, mapping ranches and towns. For a few months he joined in the California Gold Rush
, then returned to his surveying work. In 1850 he was married to Delia W. Wood, and settled in New Haven. The couple would have six children, with four surviving to adulthood.
He became a professor of Industrial Mechanics and Physics at Yale's Sheffield Scientific School, and was considered an eminent scholar. He invented the combined
transit instrument and zenith telescope that was used to determine latitude, including that of Hawaii. He was on the board of managers for
the Yale Observatory, and in December 1866 he was the first to observe the delicate ring of light surrounding Venus
when the planet is in inferior conjunction. This observation helped confirm the presence of an atmosphere around the planet.
He patented a design for a wave machine in 1867. In 1871 he became a professor of astronomy and physics at the same institution, then exclusively of astronomy in 1884 as his health began to fail. He retired as professor emeritus in 1889. He became the director of the Yale Observatory and held that
post until his death. He died as the result of a stroke, which had kept him home-bound for the last two years of his life.
Chester Lyman was an honorary member of the British Association for the Advancement of Science
. He served as president of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences for 20 years. His son, Chester W. Lyman, established the Chester S. Lyman Lecture Series at Yale in memory of his father.
He was born in Manchester, Connecticut
Manchester, Connecticut
Manchester is a township and city in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 58,241.- History :...
to Chester and Mary Smith Lyman. Chester is the descendant of Richard Lyman, a settler who arrived in America in 1631. Chester's early education was in a country school, but at an early age he showed a strong interest in astronomy and the sciences. By 1833 he had gained admittance to Yale
YALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
, and graduated in 1837. In his junior year he became editor of the Yale Literary Magazine and he was a member of Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones is an undergraduate senior or secret society at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. It is a traditional peer society to Scroll and Key and Wolf's Head, as the three senior class 'landed societies' at Yale....
. He served for two years as Superintendent of Ellington School, then studied theology at the Union and Yale Seminaries. For health reasons he then began to travel.
In 1846 he sailed to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
and remained for a year
While there he visited missionaries, including his distant cousin David Belden Lyman
David Belden Lyman
David Belden Lyman was an early American missionary to Hawaii who opened a boarding school for Hawaiians. His wife Sarah Joiner Lyman taught at the boarding school and kept an important journal. They had several notable descendants.-Family life:David Belden Lyman was born in on July 28, 1803 in...
.
In 1847 he sailed to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. There he became a surveyor, mapping ranches and towns. For a few months he joined in the California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
, then returned to his surveying work. In 1850 he was married to Delia W. Wood, and settled in New Haven. The couple would have six children, with four surviving to adulthood.
He became a professor of Industrial Mechanics and Physics at Yale's Sheffield Scientific School, and was considered an eminent scholar. He invented the combined
transit instrument and zenith telescope that was used to determine latitude, including that of Hawaii. He was on the board of managers for
the Yale Observatory, and in December 1866 he was the first to observe the delicate ring of light surrounding Venus
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6, bright enough to cast shadows...
when the planet is in inferior conjunction. This observation helped confirm the presence of an atmosphere around the planet.
He patented a design for a wave machine in 1867. In 1871 he became a professor of astronomy and physics at the same institution, then exclusively of astronomy in 1884 as his health began to fail. He retired as professor emeritus in 1889. He became the director of the Yale Observatory and held that
post until his death. He died as the result of a stroke, which had kept him home-bound for the last two years of his life.
Chester Lyman was an honorary member of the British Association for the Advancement of Science
British Association for the Advancement of Science
frame|right|"The BA" logoThe British Association for the Advancement of Science or the British Science Association, formerly known as the BA, is a learned society with the object of promoting science, directing general attention to scientific matters, and facilitating interaction between...
. He served as president of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences for 20 years. His son, Chester W. Lyman, established the Chester S. Lyman Lecture Series at Yale in memory of his father.