Olin J. Eggen
Encyclopedia
Olin Jeuck Eggen was an American astronomer
. Some sources incorrectly give his name as Olin Jenck Eggen.
in Rock County, Wisconsin
. Both of his parents were of Norwegian extraction. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison
in 1940. After serving in World War II
in the OSS
, he returned to the university and received his Ph.D. in astrophysics
in 1948.
He became known as one of the best observational astronomers of his time. He is best known for a seminal 1962 paper with Donald Lynden-Bell
and Allan Sandage
which suggested for the first time that the Milky Way Galaxy had collapsed out of a gas cloud. He first introduced the now-accepted notion of moving groups of stars. He won the Henry Norris Russell Lectureship
in 1985.
Over that time he held positions at Lick Observatory
(1948–1956), Royal Greenwich Observatory (1956–1961), California Institute of Technology
, Mt. Wilson Observatory (1961–1966), Mount Stromlo Observatory
, Australian National Observatory (1966–1977), and at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory
(1977–1998).
Eggen's professional memberships and honors include the American Astronomical Society
's Russell Lectureship (1985), membership in the Royal Astronomical Society
(vice president 1961-1962), Pawsey Memorial Lectureship of the Australian Institute of Physics, member of the Australians Society of Astronomers (president 1971-1972), and member of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.
After his death he was found to have been in possession of highly significant historical files and documents that had apparently gone missing for decades from the Royal Greenwich Observatory, including the "Neptune
file". During his lifetime he had always denied having taken the papers or having them in his possession.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison retains a collection Eggen's personal papers and correspondence.
This collection includes material about the large scale developments in post-war astronomy and astrophysics, especially the creation of large (4 meter) optical telescopes in the southern hemisphere. The Eggen Archive are held in the Steenbock Library at University of Wisconsin–Madison Archives.
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...
. Some sources incorrectly give his name as Olin Jenck Eggen.
Biography
Olin Jeuck Eggen was born to Olin Eggen and Bertha Clare Jeuck in the village of OrfordvilleOrfordville, Wisconsin
Orfordville is a village in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States, at the intersection of Highway 11, Highway 213, and the Wisconsin and Southern Railroad. The population was 1,272 at the census, with an estimated population of 1,302 in 2003.-History:...
in Rock County, Wisconsin
Rock County, Wisconsin
-Unincorporated communities:-Further reading:* . Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1879.* Brown, William F. , Chicago: Cooper, 1908.* Brown, William F. , Chicago: Cooper, 1908....
. Both of his parents were of Norwegian extraction. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
in 1940. After serving in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in the OSS
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
, he returned to the university and received his Ph.D. in astrophysics
Astrophysics
Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as their interactions and behavior...
in 1948.
He became known as one of the best observational astronomers of his time. He is best known for a seminal 1962 paper with Donald Lynden-Bell
Donald Lynden-Bell
Donald Lynden-Bell CBE FRS is an English astrophysicist, best known for his theories that galaxies contain massive black holes at their centre, and that such black holes are the principal source of energy in quasars. He was a co-recipient, with Maarten Schmidt, of the inaugural Kavli Prize for...
and Allan Sandage
Allan Sandage
Allan Rex Sandage was an American astronomer. He was Staff Member Emeritus with the Carnegie Observatories in Pasadena, California. He is best known for determining the first reasonably accurate value for the Hubble constant and the age of the universe.-Career:Sandage was one of the most...
which suggested for the first time that the Milky Way Galaxy had collapsed out of a gas cloud. He first introduced the now-accepted notion of moving groups of stars. He won the Henry Norris Russell Lectureship
Henry Norris Russell Lectureship
The Henry Norris Russell Lectureship is awarded each year by the American Astronomical Society in recognition of a lifetime of excellence in astronomical research.-Previous lecturers:This list of lecturers is from the American Astronomical Society's website....
in 1985.
Over that time he held positions at Lick Observatory
Lick Observatory
The Lick Observatory is an astronomical observatory, owned and operated by the University of California. It is situated on the summit of Mount Hamilton, in the Diablo Range just east of San Jose, California, USA...
(1948–1956), Royal Greenwich Observatory (1956–1961), California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
, Mt. Wilson Observatory (1961–1966), Mount Stromlo Observatory
Mount Stromlo Observatory
Mount Stromlo Observatory located just outside of Canberra, Australia, is part of the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the Australian National University .-History:...
, Australian National Observatory (1966–1977), and at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory
Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory
The Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory is a complex of astronomical telescopes and instruments located at 30.169 S, 70.804 W, approximately 80 km to the East of La Serena, Chile at an altitude of 2200 metres. The complex is part of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory along with Kitt...
(1977–1998).
Eggen's professional memberships and honors include the American Astronomical Society
American Astronomical Society
The American Astronomical Society is an American society of professional astronomers and other interested individuals, headquartered in Washington, DC...
's Russell Lectureship (1985), membership in the Royal Astronomical Society
Royal Astronomical Society
The Royal Astronomical Society is a learned society that began as the Astronomical Society of London in 1820 to support astronomical research . It became the Royal Astronomical Society in 1831 on receiving its Royal Charter from William IV...
(vice president 1961-1962), Pawsey Memorial Lectureship of the Australian Institute of Physics, member of the Australians Society of Astronomers (president 1971-1972), and member of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.
After his death he was found to have been in possession of highly significant historical files and documents that had apparently gone missing for decades from the Royal Greenwich Observatory, including the "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...
file". During his lifetime he had always denied having taken the papers or having them in his possession.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison retains a collection Eggen's personal papers and correspondence.
This collection includes material about the large scale developments in post-war astronomy and astrophysics, especially the creation of large (4 meter) optical telescopes in the southern hemisphere. The Eggen Archive are held in the Steenbock Library at University of Wisconsin–Madison Archives.
Olin J Eggen Scholarship
The Olin J Eggen Scholarship was established in 2000 to commemorate the contributions of the late Professor Eggen. The endowment supports a scholarship for international students seeking to pursue PhD research at the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the Australian National University.Selected works
- Three-colour photometry of 4000 northern stars (1968)
- Contace binaries, II (1967)
- Colours, luminosities and motions of the nearer giants of types K and M (1966)
- The empirical mass-luminosity relation (1963)
- Space-velocity vectors for 3483 stars with accurately determined proper motion and radial velocity ( 1962)
- Three-colour photometry in the southern hemisphere: NGC 6383, NGC 6405 and standard stars (1961)
- Three-colour photometry of red variables (1961)
External links
- "A Remembrance of Olin Eggen — 1919–1998", by Nicholas B. SuntzeffNicholas B. SuntzeffNicholas B. Suntzeff holds the Mitchell/Heep/Munnerlyn Chair of Astronomy in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at Texas A&M University and is Director of the Astronomy Program. He is an observational astronomer specializing in cosmology, supernovae, stellar populations, and astronomical...
, 6 October 1998; NOAO Newsletter, No. 56, December 1998. - "Eggen Takes the Papers", by Nick Kollerstrom, Neptune's Discovery: The British Case for Co-Prediction, Science and Technology Studies, University College London.
- "The Case of the Pilfered Planet", by William Sheehan, Nicholas KollerstromNicholas KollerstromNicholas Kollerstrom is an English writer and historian of science. He is a former honorary research fellow in Science and Technology Studies at University College, London , and a former lunar gardening correspondent for the BBC...
, and Craig B. Waff, Scientific American.com, December 2004.