Kaj Aage Gunnar Strand
Encyclopedia
Kaj Aage Gunnar Strand was a Danish astronomer
who worked in Denmark
and the United States
He was Scientific Director of the U.S. Naval Observatory from 1963 to 1977. He specialized in astrometry
, especially work on double stars and stellar distances.
, Denmark
, on the outskirts of Copenhagen
. He entered the University of Copenhagen
in 1926, majored in astronomy, and graduated in 1931 with Magister (Master's) and Candidate Magister degrees. At the invitation of Ejnar Hertzsprung
, during the 1930s he worked at Leiden on a program of photographing
double stars; he applied these results toward his doctorate from Copenhagen in 1938. From 1938-42 Strand worked under Peter van de Kamp
as a Research Associate at Swarthmore College
, and began the photographic double star program with the 24 in (61 cm) refractor telescope at the college's Sproul Observatory
. During World War II
he entered the U.S. Army, and then the U.S. Army Air Force, and flew as a Captain and chief navigator on B-29 Superfortress
tests. As head of the Navigation Department he was involved in operational training of special air crews, including the first atomic bomb crew.
After the war Strand returned briefly to Swarthmore College
, and in 1946 began as an associate professor at Yerkes Observatory
. In the same year he became chairman of the Astronomy Department at Northwestern University
, and was responsible for planning the University's new computer center. In 1958 Strand accepted a position as head of the Astrometry and Astrophysics Division at the U.S. Naval Observatory rising to the position of Scientific Director in 1963. He pioneered in the determination of stellar distances using reflecting telescopes, and was primarily responsible for the design and construction of the 61 in (1.5 m) Strand Astrometric Telescope, dedicated in 1964 at the United States Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station
in Arizona
.
while working under the direction of Peter van de Kamp
at the Sproul Observatory
. These claims were later refuted by Wulff Heintz
, also of the Sproul Observatory.
The main-belt
asteroid
, 3236 Strand
(1982 BH1), is named for him. It was discovered on January 24, 1982 by E. Bowell at Lowell Observatory, Anderson Mesa Station in Flagstaff, Arizona
.
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
who worked in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
He was Scientific Director of the U.S. Naval Observatory from 1963 to 1977. He specialized in astrometry
Astrometry
Astrometry is the branch of astronomy that involves precise measurements of the positions and movements of stars and other celestial bodies. The information obtained by astrometric measurements provides information on the kinematics and physical origin of our Solar System and our Galaxy, the Milky...
, especially work on double stars and stellar distances.
Life
Kaj Strand was born February 27, 1907 in HellerupHellerup
Hellerup is a Danish town of Region Hovedstaden, located in the Gentofte Municipality in Denmark. It is bordered to the east by the sound Øresund and to the South by Copenhagen and counted among the most affluent areas in Denmark....
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, on the outskirts of Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
. He entered the University of Copenhagen
University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
in 1926, majored in astronomy, and graduated in 1931 with Magister (Master's) and Candidate Magister degrees. At the invitation of Ejnar Hertzsprung
Ejnar Hertzsprung
Ejnar Hertzsprung was a Danish chemist and astronomer.Hertzsprung was born in Copenhagen. In the period 1911–1913, together with Henry Norris Russell, he developed the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram....
, during the 1930s he worked at Leiden on a program of photographing
Astrophotography
Astrophotography is a specialized type of photography that entails recording images of astronomical objects and large areas of the night sky. The first photographs of an astronomical object were taken in the 1840s, but it was not until the late 19th century that advances in technology allowed for...
double stars; he applied these results toward his doctorate from Copenhagen in 1938. From 1938-42 Strand worked under Peter van de Kamp
Peter van de Kamp
Piet van de Kamp , known as Peter van de Kamp in the United States, was a Dutch astronomer who lived most of his life in the United States. He was professor of astronomy at Swarthmore College and director of the college's Sproul Observatory from 1937 until 1972...
as a Research Associate at Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,500 students. The college is located in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia....
, and began the photographic double star program with the 24 in (61 cm) refractor telescope at the college's Sproul Observatory
Sproul Observatory
Sproul Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by Swarthmore College. It is located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, United States, and is named after William Cameron Sproul, the 27th Governor of Pennsylvania, who graduated from Swarthmore in 1891.-Tours:An open house is offered...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he entered the U.S. Army, and then the U.S. Army Air Force, and flew as a Captain and chief navigator on B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
tests. As head of the Navigation Department he was involved in operational training of special air crews, including the first atomic bomb crew.
After the war Strand returned briefly to Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,500 students. The college is located in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia....
, and in 1946 began as an associate professor at Yerkes Observatory
Yerkes Observatory
Yerkes Observatory is an astronomical observatory operated by the University of Chicago in Williams Bay, Wisconsin. The observatory, which calls itself "the birthplace of modern astrophysics," was founded in 1897 by George Ellery Hale and financed by Charles T. Yerkes...
. In the same year he became chairman of the Astronomy Department at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
, and was responsible for planning the University's new computer center. In 1958 Strand accepted a position as head of the Astrometry and Astrophysics Division at the U.S. Naval Observatory rising to the position of Scientific Director in 1963. He pioneered in the determination of stellar distances using reflecting telescopes, and was primarily responsible for the design and construction of the 61 in (1.5 m) Strand Astrometric Telescope, dedicated in 1964 at the United States Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station
United States Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station
The United States Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station , is a scientific astronomical observatory operated as a Navy Echelon V command and the national dark-sky observing Facility/observatory subordinate to the United States Naval Observatory . USNO and NOFS are commands within the CNMOC claimancy,...
in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
.
Claim of extrasolar planets
Strand is also known for his 1942 and 1957 claims of a planetary system around the nearby star 61 Cygni61 Cygni
61 Cygni,Not to be confused with 16 Cygni, a more distant system containing two G-type stars harboring the gas giant planet 16 Cygni Bb. sometimes called Bessel's Star or Piazzi's Flying Star, is a binary star system in the constellation Cygnus...
while working under the direction of Peter van de Kamp
Peter van de Kamp
Piet van de Kamp , known as Peter van de Kamp in the United States, was a Dutch astronomer who lived most of his life in the United States. He was professor of astronomy at Swarthmore College and director of the college's Sproul Observatory from 1937 until 1972...
at the Sproul Observatory
Sproul Observatory
Sproul Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by Swarthmore College. It is located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, United States, and is named after William Cameron Sproul, the 27th Governor of Pennsylvania, who graduated from Swarthmore in 1891.-Tours:An open house is offered...
. These claims were later refuted by Wulff Heintz
Wulff Dieter Heintz
Wulff-Dieter Heintz was a German astronomer who worked the latter part of his career in the United States. He was Professor Emeritus of Astronomy at Swarthmore College and former director of the Sproul Observatory...
, also of the Sproul Observatory.
Honors and awards
Strand was awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship in 1946.The main-belt
Asteroid belt
The asteroid belt is the region of the Solar System located roughly between the orbits of the planets Mars and Jupiter. It is occupied by numerous irregularly shaped bodies called asteroids or minor planets...
asteroid
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
, 3236 Strand
3236 Strand
3236 Strand is a main-belt asteroid discovered on January 24, 1982 by E. Bowell at Flagstaff . It is named for Kaj Aage Gunnar Strand, an astronomer and former director of the U.S. Naval Observatory.- External links :*...
(1982 BH1), is named for him. It was discovered on January 24, 1982 by E. Bowell at Lowell Observatory, Anderson Mesa Station in Flagstaff, Arizona
Flagstaff, Arizona
Flagstaff is a city located in northern Arizona, in the southwestern United States. In 2010, the city's population was 65,870. The population of the Metropolitan Statistical Area was at 134,421 in 2010. It is the county seat of Coconino County...
.