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Harlan James Smith (August 25, 1924 – October 17, 1991) was an Americanastronomer.[1] He served as director of the University of TexasMcDonald Observatory from 1963 to 1989, where, among other accomplishments, he initiated the construction of theHarlan J. Smith Telescope, a 2.7-meter (107-inch) reflector bearing his name .[2]
He came to McDonald Observatory as director in 1963, when he was also named chair of theUniversity of Texas Astronomy Department in Austin, Texas. McDonald Observatory itself is located 440 miles west of Austin, in theDavis Mountains of West Texas.[3] As head of the observatory, Smith's first major act was to obtain the funds needed to build the 2.7m telescope. Toward that end, he persuadedNASA the telescope was needed in support of space missions to the planets. The telescope brought new life to the observatory and helped recruit young faculty members, establishing McDonald as key player in the exploration of theSolar System.[4] In 1991, Smith received theNASA Distinguished Public Service Medal "for a lifetime of service to the astronomy and space communities."[5]
From 1966 until 1970, Smith was a member of theCommittee on the Large Space Telescope, anad hoc group formed by theNational Academy of Sciences, the work of which resulted in theHubble Space Telescope. He also was the chairperson of the NASA Space Science Board from 1977 until 1980, and there helped propose NASA'sGreat Observatories program. Smith was an enthusiastic proponent of educating the public on astronomy, and provided the support needed to develop the syndicated radio programStarDate. He also developed "The Story of the Universe", a series of educational films. He was also a proponent of international cooperation, particularly withChina which he visited several times. He served as co-editor of theAstronomical Journal as well as acting secretary for theAmerican Astronomical Society.
Smith retired as McDonald Observatory's director in 1989. Afterwards, he served as the Edward Randall Jr., MD, Centennial Professor of Astronomy at the University of Texas at Austin.[6]
Smith was born inWheeling, West Virginia, the son of Paul and Anna McGregor Smith. While attendingWheeling High School he was named first runner up in the "Westinghouse National Science Talent Search". From 1943 until the end ofWorld War II he served in theU.S. Army Air Corps, performing weather observation. Following the war he attendedHarvard University, earning aB.A. in 1949. In 1950 he married Joan Greene, and by 1951 had earned hisM.S. degree from Harvard. He began teaching at the astronomy department atYale University in 1953, but still completed hisPh.D. from Harvard by 1955. During his career he studiedvariable stars, the radio emission from planets, as well asphotometry and astronomical instruments. WithDorrit Hoffleit, he was the first to observe the optical variability ofquasars, and discovered a class ofvariable stars known asDelta Scuti variables.
Smith died in 1991 due to complications related tocancer. He was survived by his wife and four children, along with their grandchildren.
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