Harold Alden
American astronomer known for stellar parallax and proper motion measurements.
Harold Lee Alden was an American astronomer. He is noted for his work on stellar parallax, proper motion, and long period variable stars. He spent two decades at the Yale Observatory in South Africa before returning to the University of Virginia.
Quick Facts
- Born
- January 10, 1890, Chicago, Illinois
- Died
- February 3, 1964, Charlottesville
- Retirement
- June 30, 1960, as Professor Emeritus
Facts from the source article.
Did You Know?
- Alden was born in Chicago, Illinois.
- He received his Bachelor of Arts from Wheaton College (Illinois) in 1912 and his master's from the University of Chicago in 1913.
- The crater Alden on the far side of the Moon is named in his honor.
Professional life
After two decades at the Yale Observatory in South Africa, Harold Alden came back to the University of Virginia in 1945. There he served as a Professor of Astronomy, chaired the department, and directed the Leander McCormick Observatory. His scientific reputation rests on measurements of stellar parallax, star proper motions, and long-period variable stars. In 1951, he was vice-president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and chaired its astronomy section. From 1952 to 1955, he led Commission 24 on Stellar Parallaxes for the International Astronomical Union.
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