Otto Heckmann
Encyclopedia
Otto Hermann Leopold Heckmann (June 23, 1901 – May 13, 1983) was a German astronomer.
He directed the Hamburg Observatory from 1941 to 1962, after which he became the first director of the European Southern Observatory
. Encyclopedia Britannica, Otto Heckmann He actively contributed to the creation of the third issue of the Astronomische Gesellschaft Katalog
. He also contributed to cosmology
based on the fundamentals of general relativity
, and wrote the book Theorien der Kosmologie.
He won the James Craig Watson Medal
in 1961 and the Bruce Medal
in 1964.
Heckmann also served as President of the International Astronomical Union
in 1967, and following a Polish request and under the impression of German acts in Poland during World War II, made the controversial decision to hold an Extraordinary IAU General Assembly in February 1973 in Warsaw, Poland, to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Nicolaus Copernicus
, shortly after the regular 1973 GA was held in Australia.
The asteroid
1650 Heckmann
is named after him.
He directed the Hamburg Observatory from 1941 to 1962, after which he became the first director of the European Southern Observatory
European Southern Observatory
The European Southern Observatory is an intergovernmental research organisation for astronomy, supported by fifteen countries...
. Encyclopedia Britannica, Otto Heckmann He actively contributed to the creation of the third issue of the Astronomische Gesellschaft Katalog
Astronomische Gesellschaft Katalog
The Astronomische Gesellschaft Katalog is an astrometric star catalogue. Compilation for the first version, AGK1, was started in 1861 by Friedrich Argelander and published between 1890 and 1954, listing 200 000 stars down to ninth magnitude....
. He also contributed to cosmology
Physical cosmology
Physical cosmology, as a branch of astronomy, is the study of the largest-scale structures and dynamics of the universe and is concerned with fundamental questions about its formation and evolution. For most of human history, it was a branch of metaphysics and religion...
based on the fundamentals of general relativity
General relativity
General relativity or the general theory of relativity is the geometric theory of gravitation published by Albert Einstein in 1916. It is the current description of gravitation in modern physics...
, and wrote the book Theorien der Kosmologie.
He won the James Craig Watson Medal
James Craig Watson Medal
thumb|right|400px|James Craig Watson MedalThe James Craig Watson Medal was established by the bequest of James Craig Watson, and is awarded by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences for contributions to astronomy.The recipients have been:-External links:*...
in 1961 and the Bruce Medal
Bruce Medal
The Catherine Wolfe Bruce Gold Medal is awarded every year by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific for outstanding lifetime contributions to astronomy. It is named after Catherine Wolfe Bruce, an American patroness of astronomy, and was first awarded in 1898...
in 1964.
Heckmann also served as President of the International Astronomical Union
International Astronomical Union
The International Astronomical Union IAU is a collection of professional astronomers, at the Ph.D. level and beyond, active in professional research and education in astronomy...
in 1967, and following a Polish request and under the impression of German acts in Poland during World War II, made the controversial decision to hold an Extraordinary IAU General Assembly in February 1973 in Warsaw, Poland, to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Nicolaus Copernicus
Nicolaus Copernicus
Nicolaus Copernicus was a Renaissance astronomer and the first person to formulate a comprehensive heliocentric cosmology which displaced the Earth from the center of the universe....
, shortly after the regular 1973 GA was held in Australia.
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...
1650 Heckmann
1650 Heckmann
1650 Heckmann is a main-belt asteroid discovered on October 11, 1937 by Reinmuth, K. at Heidelberg.It is named for astronomer Otto Heckmann .- External links :*...
is named after him.
Works
- Theorien der Kosmologie. Berlin: Springer, 1942 und 1968
- Sterne, Kosmos, Weltmodelle. München: Piper, 1976 (auch dtv-Taschenbuch)
External links
Obituaries
- MitAG 60 (1983) 9 (in German)
- QJRAS 25 (1984) 374