by Case » Sat Jun 26, 2010 10:24 am
Bengt Westerlund (1921-2008)
Bengt Westerlund began his astronomical career in Sweden. He received his PhD in astronomy from the University of Uppsala in 1954 and spent most of the subsequent years, until 1967, at Mt. Stromlo Observatory, Australia, where he was first the Uppsala Schmidt Observer and an Honorary Fellow at the Australian National University (ANU), then becoming in 1958 Reader in Astronomy at the ANU. In 1967 he took a position as Professor of Astronomy at Steward Observatory where Bart J. Bok had become director. In 1969 he was appointed Director of ESO in Chile, which position he held until 1975 when he returned to Sweden to take up the position of the Professor of Astronomy at Uppsala Observatory, retiring in 1987.
His career was devoted to observational astronomy and his work on the structure of the Milky Way and the Magellanic Clouds earned respect and appreciation amongst his colleagues. Within those broad categories he contributed significantly to studies of clusters, stellar populations, carbon stars, planetary nebulae, WR stars, diffuse interstellar bands, luminous stars, stellar classification, and supernova remnants. Beyond these he also published papers on dwarf spheroidals, emission-line galaxies and radio galaxies. In this work, at Mt. Stromlo, Steward Observatory and at ESO in Chile, he was always successful in engaging the interest and participation of students, a number of whom produced high-quality theses under his supervision. Also Bengt was always a keen organiser and participant in international meetings.
Westerlund 1 is the most massive compact young star cluster known in the local group of galaxies and is about 3.5-5 kpc away from Earth. It was discovered by Bengt Westerlund in 1961.
Westerlund 2 is a young massive obscured star cluster, about 7.3-8.5 kpc away from Earth. It was discovered by Bengt Westerlund in 1961.
An asteroid,
2902 Westerlund, was named on the occasion of his retirement from the professorship.
In 2004 he inaugurated the
Westerlund Telescope in Uppsala, named in his honour.
Bengt Westerlund (1921-2008)
Bengt Westerlund began his astronomical career in Sweden. He received his PhD in astronomy from the University of Uppsala in 1954 and spent most of the subsequent years, until 1967, at Mt. Stromlo Observatory, Australia, where he was first the Uppsala Schmidt Observer and an Honorary Fellow at the Australian National University (ANU), then becoming in 1958 Reader in Astronomy at the ANU. In 1967 he took a position as Professor of Astronomy at Steward Observatory where Bart J. Bok had become director. In 1969 he was appointed Director of ESO in Chile, which position he held until 1975 when he returned to Sweden to take up the position of the Professor of Astronomy at Uppsala Observatory, retiring in 1987.
His career was devoted to observational astronomy and his work on the structure of the Milky Way and the Magellanic Clouds earned respect and appreciation amongst his colleagues. Within those broad categories he contributed significantly to studies of clusters, stellar populations, carbon stars, planetary nebulae, WR stars, diffuse interstellar bands, luminous stars, stellar classification, and supernova remnants. Beyond these he also published papers on dwarf spheroidals, emission-line galaxies and radio galaxies. In this work, at Mt. Stromlo, Steward Observatory and at ESO in Chile, he was always successful in engaging the interest and participation of students, a number of whom produced high-quality theses under his supervision. Also Bengt was always a keen organiser and participant in international meetings.
[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westerlund_1]Westerlund 1[/url] is the most massive compact young star cluster known in the local group of galaxies and is about 3.5-5 kpc away from Earth. It was discovered by Bengt Westerlund in 1961.
[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westerlund_2]Westerlund 2[/url] is a young massive obscured star cluster, about 7.3-8.5 kpc away from Earth. It was discovered by Bengt Westerlund in 1961.
An asteroid, [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2902_Westerlund]2902 Westerlund[/url], was named on the occasion of his retirement from the professorship.
In 2004 he inaugurated the [url=http://www.astro.uu.se/grundutb/wt/Welcome.html]Westerlund Telescope[/url] in Uppsala, named in his honour.