Sears Cook Walker
Encyclopedia
Sears Cook Walker was an American
astronomer
.
Born at Wilmington, Massachusetts
son of Benjamin Walker and Susanna Cook, he graduated from Harvard University
in 1825, he was a teacher till 1835, was an actuary
in 1835-1845 for the Pennsylvania Company for Insurance on Lives and Granting Annuities, and then became one of several assistants at the United States Naval Observatory
following orders from Superintendent Matthew Fontaine Maury
. Sears C. Walker was fired by Maury for publishing United States Naval Observatory findings on the planet Neptune in a foreign nation's scientific news through the help of Joseph Henry
of the Smithsonian Institution
. But it was too late and Walker got personal credit for work that he was only partially involved in. In 1847 he took charge of the longitude department of the United States Coast Survey, where he was among the first to make use of the electric telegraph for the purpose of determining the difference of longitude
between two stations, and he introduced the method of registering transit observations electrically by means of a chronograph
. He also investigated the orbit of the newly discovered planet
Neptune
. He died near Cincinnati in 1853.
Walker learned to read at least seven languages. Using his knowledge of German he read the work of German astronomers. The annotations in his copy of Astronomische Nachrichten show that he was interested in data reduction and computation of orbits. He was elected a member of the American Philosophical Society
in 1837.
His brother Timothy Walker (1802-1856) was a leader of the Ohio bar.
For a more detailed article, published in 1894, click the box under his picture and follow the link to Popular Science Monthly. The article begins on p. 119 of the original magazine, but on openlibrary it shows as p. 126.
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...
.
Born at Wilmington, Massachusetts
Wilmington, Massachusetts
Wilmington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 22,325 at the 2010 census.-History:Wilmington was first settled in 1665 and was officially incorporated in 1730, from parts of Woburn, Reading and Billerica. Minutemen from Wilmington responded to the alarm...
son of Benjamin Walker and Susanna Cook, he graduated from Harvard University
Harvard 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...
in 1825, he was a teacher till 1835, was an actuary
Actuary
An actuary is a business professional who deals with the financial impact of risk and uncertainty. Actuaries provide expert assessments of financial security systems, with a focus on their complexity, their mathematics, and their mechanisms ....
in 1835-1845 for the Pennsylvania Company for Insurance on Lives and Granting Annuities, and then became one of several assistants at the United States Naval Observatory
United States Naval Observatory
The United States Naval Observatory is one of the oldest scientific agencies in the United States, with a primary mission to produce Positioning, Navigation, and Timing for the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Department of Defense...
following orders from Superintendent Matthew Fontaine Maury
Matthew Fontaine Maury
Matthew Fontaine Maury , United States Navy was an American astronomer, historian, oceanographer, meteorologist, cartographer, author, geologist, and educator....
. Sears C. Walker was fired by Maury for publishing United States Naval Observatory findings on the planet Neptune in a foreign nation's scientific news through the help of Joseph Henry
Joseph Henry
Joseph Henry was an American scientist who served as the first Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, as well as a founding member of the National Institute for the Promotion of Science, a precursor of the Smithsonian Institution. During his lifetime, he was highly regarded...
of the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
. But it was too late and Walker got personal credit for work that he was only partially involved in. In 1847 he took charge of the longitude department of the United States Coast Survey, where he was among the first to make use of the electric telegraph for the purpose of determining the difference of longitude
Longitude
Longitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds, and denoted by the Greek letter lambda ....
between two stations, and he introduced the method of registering transit observations electrically by means of a chronograph
Chronograph
A chronograph is a timepiece or watch with both timekeeping and stopwatch functions as well as other functions. Pocket watch chronographs were produced as early as the 18th century but did not become popular until the 1820s...
. He also investigated the orbit of the newly discovered 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,...
Neptune
Neptune
Neptune is the eighth and farthest planet from the Sun in the Solar System. Named for the Roman god of the sea, it is the fourth-largest planet by diameter and the third largest by mass. Neptune is 17 times the mass of Earth and is slightly more massive than its near-twin Uranus, which is 15 times...
. He died near Cincinnati in 1853.
Walker learned to read at least seven languages. Using his knowledge of German he read the work of German astronomers. The annotations in his copy of Astronomische Nachrichten show that he was interested in data reduction and computation of orbits. He was elected a member of the American Philosophical Society
American Philosophical Society
The American Philosophical Society, founded in 1743, and located in Philadelphia, Pa., is an eminent scholarly organization of international reputation, that promotes useful knowledge in the sciences and humanities through excellence in scholarly research, professional meetings, publications,...
in 1837.
His brother Timothy Walker (1802-1856) was a leader of the Ohio bar.
For a more detailed article, published in 1894, click the box under his picture and follow the link to Popular Science Monthly. The article begins on p. 119 of the original magazine, but on openlibrary it shows as p. 126.