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Carlyle BealsCanadian astronomer
Date of Birth: 29.06.1899
Country: ![]() |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Academic and Research Career
- Contributions to Astronomy and Geophysics
- Discovery of Meteorite Craters
- Leadership Roles and Honors
Early Life and Education
Born in Canso, Nova Scotia, John Stanley Plaskett earned a degree from Acadia University in 1919. He furthered his education at the University of Toronto and the University of London.
Academic and Research Career
Acadia University and Victoria Astrophysical ObservatoryPlaskett taught at Acadia University from 1926 to 1927. In 1927, he joined the Astrophysical Observatory in Victoria, British Columbia, where he remained until 1964, serving as its director from 1946 onwards.
Contributions to Astronomy and Geophysics
Plaskett made significant contributions to astrophysical and geophysical research in Canada, particularly in the field of stellar spectroscopy and interstellar matter. He conducted extensive studies of the spectra of Wolf-Rayet stars, P Cygni stars, and novae. Plaskett's work led to the understanding that the observed spectral peculiarities of these unstable stars were caused by the outflow of matter from their surfaces. He developed a classification scheme for Wolf-Rayet star spectra and established a temperature scale for these stars based on the intensities of their emission lines.
Plaskett's investigations of the intensities and radial velocities of interstellar sodium and calcium lines provided valuable insights into the behavior of interstellar matter and interstellar absorption. In 1936, he discovered the complex structure of interstellar lines in some stars, indicating the existence of multiple absorbing clouds between the star and the Sun.
Discovery of Meteorite Craters
Plaskett also explored the Canadian landscape, discovering and studying several ancient meteorite craters.
Leadership Roles and Honors
Plaskett was a member of both the Royal Society of Canada and the Royal Society of London. He served as President of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (1952) and the American Astronomical Society (1962-1964). He was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Society of Canada (1957) and the Leonard Medal of the American Meteorite Society (1966). A crater on the Moon and asteroid #3314 are named in his honor.