Slipher, Vesto Melvin (18751969), a United States astronomer. He made perhaps more basic contributions in various fields of astronomy than any of his contemporaries, Slipher is best known for his fundamental spectroscopic discoveries, especially of the rotations and atmospheres of planets. He also pioneered in the measurement of the rotations of galaxies and their movement through space, providing observational evidence for the expanding-universe theory. Slipher was born in Clinton County, Indiana, and graduated from Indiana University. He served as director of the Lowell Observatory at Flagstaff, Arizona, 191752.
Slipher, Vesto Melvin
Cite This!
Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks article:
"Slipher, Vesto Melvin" 23 April 2009. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://science.howstuffworks.com/dictionary/famous-scientists/astronomers/vesto-m-slipher-info.htm> 11 February 2012.
Cite
You Might Also Like
How Isaac Newton Worked
The man immortalized on the left was behind the three laws of motion and the universal law of gravitation. He was also competitive, temperamental and fascinated with alchemy. How well do you know Newton?
Who Said It? Albert Einstein or C.S. Lewis
One was a celebrated author, the other a famed physicist. What the two shared was a public exposure of their religious beliefs. Big E had an on-again, off-again relationship with God, while C.S. was an avowed atheist during his early years.
