Max Wolf
| Max Wolf | |
|---|---|
Max Wolf
|
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| Born |
June 21, 1863 Heidelberg, Germany (Bund) |
| Died | October 3, 1932 (aged 69) Heidelberg, Germany (Weimar) |
| Nationality | German |
| Fields | Astronomy |
| Institutions | University of Heidelberg |
| Alma mater | University of Heidelberg |
| Doctoral advisor | Leo Königsberger |
| Doctoral students |
August Kopff Heinrich Vogt Wilhelm Lorenz |
| Known for | Astrophotography |
| Notable awards | Bruce Medal (1930) |
Maximilian Franz Joseph Cornelius "Max" Wolf (June 21, 1863 – October 3, 1932) was a German astronomer and a pioneer in the field of astrophotography. He was Chairman of Astronomy at the University of Heidelberg and director of the Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory from 1902 until his death.
He was born in Heidelberg, Germany on June 21, 1863, the son of a popular medical doctor, Dr. Franz Wolf. His father encouraged an interest in science and built an observatory for his son in the garden of the family home. It is from here that Wolf is credited with his first astronomical discovery, comet 14P/Wolf, in 1884.
He attended the town's world famous university and, in 1888, at the age of 25, he was awarded a Ph.D. by the University of Heidelberg. He spent one year of post-graduate study in Stockholm, the only significant time he would spend outside of Heidelberg in his life. He returned to the University of Heidelberg and accepted the position of privat-docent in 1890. A popular lecturer in astronomy, he declined offers of positions from other institutions. In 1902 he was appointed Chair of Astronomy and Director of the new Landessternwarte Heidelberg-Königstuhl observatory. Positions he would hold until his death in 1932.
While the new observatory was being built Wolf was appointed to supervise the construction and outfitting of the astrophysics half of the observatory. He proved to be a not only a capable supervisor but also a successful money raiser. When sent to America to study the construction of the large new telescopes being built there he returned not only with telescope plans but also with a grant of $10,000 from the American philanthropist Catherine Wolfe Bruce. Wolf immediately designed and ordered a double refractor telescope from American astronomer and instrument builder, John Brashear. This instrument, known as the Bruce double-astrograph, with parallel 16 in (41 cm) lenses and a fast f/5 focal ratio, became the observatory's primary research telescope. He also raised money for a 28 in (71 cm) reflector telescope, the first for the observatory, used for spectroscopy.
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