Charles Dillon Perrine | |
|---|---|
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| Born | (1867-07-28)July 28, 1867 Steubenville,Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | June 21, 1951(1951-06-21) (aged 83) |
| Alma mater | Santa Clara College (honorary doctorate) (1905) |
| Known for | First attempts at light deflection test of relativity (1912 solar eclipse, Brazil; 1914 solar eclipse, Russia). Discovery of sixth and seventhMoons of Jupiter:Himalia,Elara |
| Spouse | Bell (Smith) Perrine (m. 1905) |
| Awards | Lalande Prize (1897) Astronomical Society of Mexico Gold Medal (1905) Donohoe Comet Medals (x5) from theAstronomical Society of the Pacific Panama–Pacific International Exposition Gold Medal (1915) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Astronomy,astrophysics,astrophotography |
| Institutions | Lick Observatory,Argentine National Observatory |
Charles Dillon Perrine (July 28, 1867 – June 21, 1951) was an Americanastronomer at theLick Observatory in California (1893-1909) who moved toCordoba, Argentina to accept the position of Director of theArgentine National Observatory (1909-1936). The Cordoba Observatory under Perrine's direction made the first attempts to prove Einstein's theory of relativity by astronomical observation of the deflection of starlight near the Sun during thesolar eclipse of October 10, 1912 inCristina (Brazil), and thesolar eclipse of August 21, 1914 atFeodosia, Crimea, Russian Empire.[1] Rain in 1912 and clouds in 1914 prevented results.[2]
In 1897 he was awarded theLalande Prize and gold medal by theParis Academy of Sciences given each year ″to the person who makes the most outstanding observation ... to further the progress ofAstronomy, in France or elsewhere.″.[3] He served as president of theAstronomical Society of the Pacific in 1902,[4][5] was elected an Associate of theRoyal Astronomical Society in 1904,[6] and was awarded the gold medal of the Mexican Astronomical Society in 1905. In the same year he received the degree of Doctor of Sciences (honorary) from Santa Clara College (todaySanta Clara University.[7]
Acrater on the far side of the moon was named in his honor in 1970.[8]
Charles was born inSteubenville, Ohio, the son of Peter, a Methodist minister, and Elizabeth (McCauley) Perrine.[9][10] He was a descendant ofDaniel Perrin, "TheHuguenot", and Maria Thorel whose marriage was the first (European) recorded inElizabethtown, New Jersey, (Feb 18, 1666).[11] Following high school graduation in 1884,[12] he moved toAlameda, California in about 1886 and worked as a bookkeeper atArmour & Co., a meat-packing business inSan Francisco.
Interested in photography and astronomy from an early age,[2] and unable to afford a college education, "he nevertheless looked forward to engaging in astronomical work".[7] Perrine responded to a general invitation to amateurs in astronomy and photography from E. S. Holden, the Director of the newly established Lick Observatory[13] (1888), to observe the total solar eclipse of January 1, 1889 in Northern California. Perrine's report and photographs[14] caught the attention of the Director who hired him as Secretary in 1893.[15] Holden agreed to Perrine's "fixed purpose of devoting his spare time to the study of astronomical and related subjects, by way of preparation for later observatory duties".[16]
As his experience, skills, and discoveries grew he was promoted to Secretary and Assistant Astronomer (1895),[17] Assistant Astronomer (1902),[18] and Astronomer (1905).[16]
From 1895 to 1902 Perrine discovered eight unexpected and four periodic comets including the co-discovery of the lost periodiccomet18D/Perrine-Mrkos in 1896 (see list below).[19][20]Antonín Mrkos later named theasteroid6779 Perrine after him. The lunar craterPerrine is also named after him.
In 1904-05 he discovered the sixth and seventhmoons ofJupiter, today known asHimalia (December 3, 1904) andElara (February 21, 1905) using telescopic photography (glass plate negatives) with the 36-inch Crossley Reflector which he had recently rebuilt. At the time they were simply designated "Jupiter VI" and "Jupiter VII" and were given their present names in 1975.[21] The first certain observations of Jupiter's moons (I - IV) were those published by Galileo Galilei in 1610.[22] No additional moons were discovered until E. E. Barnard observed Amalthea (Jupiter V) in 1892.[23]
Perrine participated in foursolar eclipse expeditions of the Lick Observatory: 1900 (Georgia, USA), 1901 (Sumatra), 1905 (Spain), and 1908 (Flint Island),[24] and was in charge of the one sent toSumatra.[25] Also in 1901, he andGeorge Ritchey observed the apparentsuperluminal motion in the nebulosity surroundingNova Persei 1901.[10]
In 1909 he resigned from the Lick Observatory to accept the position of Director of theArgentine National Observatory (today, Observatorio Astronómico de Córdoba)[26][27] atCordoba, Argentina, a position which he held until his retirement in 1936 at age 69.
Perrine played an early role in thehistory of general relativity andtests of general relativity. The Argentine National Observatory led by Perrine made the first attempt to testAlbert Einstein's Theory of Relativity by observing the deflection of star light near the Sun at a total solar eclipse.[28][29][30][31][32] Perrine wrote, "The Cordoba Observatory made the first definite attempt to secure observations at an eclipse (that of 1912) for the relativity problem and that was done at the instigation of Dr. Freundlich."[1] Einstein, in 1905, had proposed hisTheory of Special Relativity which predicted that gravity bent light. In 1911 Einstein wrote, "It would be urgently wished that astronomers take up the question here raised (gravitational light deflection near the Sun),...".[33] Dr.Erwin Finlay-Freundlich, a German astronomer and mathematician, took up Einstein's challenge and contacted Perrine in 1911 and 1912 to ask if he would undertake a test of light deflection near the Sun. Perrine agreed to add the test to his planned expedition to Cristina, Brazil to observe the total solar eclipse of October 10, 1912.[34]William Wallace Campbell, the Director of theLick Observatory, recognizing that Perrine would likely be the most experienced eclipse observer, also encouraged him to pursue the test and loaned him Lick's eclipse camera lenses with which Perrine had previous eclipse experience while at Lick.[34] The Argentine National Observatory built the telescopes and readied the equipment at the observation site at Cristina, Brazil. Unfortunately, steady rain made visibility and therefore the test impossible. As Perrine put it, "We suffered a total eclipse instead of observing one".[35] While observational results were elusive in 1912, the expedition produced valuable instruments (telescopes, cameras, timers, etc.) and experience for the next eclipse in 1914 in Russia. Three observatories would organize expeditions and include light deflection in their programs for 1914; the Argentine National Observatory (Perrine), the Lick Observatory (Campbell), and theBerlin-Babelsberg Observatory (Freundlich).[36]
Perrine's photograph of the totalsolar eclipse of August 21, 1914 may have been the first taken with the intent and equipment to measure star light deflection near the Sun which effect was predicted by Einstein'sSpecial Theory of Relativity in 1911. Thin clouds obscured the eclipse just enough to prevent accurate star observation. If these first attempts in Brazil in 1912 or Russia in 1914 had achieved results, they may have proven Einstein wrong because at that time (1911-1914) Einstein had predicted a light deflection of 0.87 arcseconds rather than the 1.75 arcseconds which he later calculated in 1915 with theGeneral Theory of Relativity.[37][38]
Perrine pioneered the study ofastrophysics in Argentina and promoted the construction of the 60-inch/1.54 m reflecting telescope atBosque Alegre which was completed in 1942 after his retirement in 1936.[39] It would remain the largest telescope in South America until 1981 when Brazil built a 63-inch reflector.[40] After retirement he lived first in Cordoba city and next in Villa General Mitre (originally and againVilla del Totoral) where he died. He is buried in the Cementerio del Salvador (Cemetery of the Savior) formerly called theCementerio de Disidentes (cemetery of dissidents/non-Catholics), in the city ofCórdoba. His grave marker reads:
Dr. Charles Dillon Perrine28/07/1867 — 21/06/1951
Translation of inscription:American-Argentine astronomer with tireless drive who, based in our country, promoted the development of astrophysics in Argentina and played a fundamental role in the construction of the Bosque Alegre Astrophysical Station.
The Astronomical Observatory of the National University of Cordoba in recognition, admiration and deep gratitude to he who was Director of the then Argentine National Observatory (1909-1936).
—————-Inscription:Astrónomo estadounidense-argentino de impetu incansable que, radicado en nuestro país, promovió el desarrollo de la astrofísica en Argentina y desempeñó un papel fundamental en la construcción de la Estación Astrofísica de Bosque Alegre.
El Observatorio Astronómico de la Universidad Nacional de Cordoba en reconocimiento, admiración y profundo agradecimiento a quien fuera Director del entonces Observatorio Nacional Argentino (1909-1936).
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