Charles Greeley Abbot - Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, Facts and Family
Charles Greeley Abbot's Personal Details
Charles Greeley Abbot was an American astrophysicist, best known for his research in the field of solar energy
| Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birthday | May 31, 1872 |
| Died on | December 17, 1973 |
| Nationality | American |
| Famous | Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, Scientists, Astrophysicists |
| Spouses | Lillian Elvira Moore, Virginia Andes Johnston |
| Universities |
|
| Notable Alumnis |
|
| Birth Place | Wilton |
| Gender | Male |
| Sun Sign | Gemini |
| Born in | Wilton |
| Famous as | Astrophysicist |
// Famous Massachusetts Institute Of Technology
Dolph Lundgren
Dolph Lundgren is a famous Swedish actor, film-maker, screenwriter and martial artist. This biography offers detailed information about his childhood, family, personal life, etc.
Joseph E. Stiglitz
Joseph E. Stiglitz is a Nobel Prize winning American economist. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life, achievements and other facts related to his life.
Richard Feynman
Richard Feynman was a Nobel Prize winning American physicist who proposed the theory of quantum electrodynamics. To know more about his childhood, career, profile and timeline read on
Charles Greeley Abbot's photo
Who is Charles Greeley Abbot?
Charles Greeley Abbot was an American astrophysicist, best known for his research in the field of solar energy. His talent was evident from a young age; he built and invented numerous things, such as a forge to fix tools, a water wheel to power a saw, and a bicycle. After completing his education, he was hired as an assistant by the famous physicist, Samuel Langley, at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Under his guidance, he started his research work on solar radiations and gradually established the now-recognized value of the solar constant. He eventually took charge of both, the observatory and the institution, and went from being director of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, to becoming Assistant Secretary, and then the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution over the course of his career. He also worked on the effects of solar activity on terrestrial weather patterns and designed some of the earliest solar-powered heaters and cookers as a visual aide for his lectures. He was the fifth Smithsonian Secretary and the first one to retire from his post after a long and successful career. Being an astrophysicist, he was involved in a lifelong project to establish the fact that the Sun’s energy output varies and it has a measurable effect on the Earth’s weather. Among his several successful contributions, the most famous one is undoubtedly his research on the solar constant, a research that led him towards the development of numerous patented solar energy devices.
// Famous Scientists
Juliane Koepcke
Juliane Koepcke is a German-Peruvian biologist, who was the lone survivor among the 92 passengers and crew of the ill-fated LANSA Flight 508 that crashed in the Peruvian rainforest on 24 December 1971. Know more about her life in this biography.
Henry Cavendish
Henry Cavendish was a theoretical chemist and physicist, renowned for discovery of hydrogen and calculation of the mass of earth. To know more about his childhood, profile, timeline and career read on
Konstantin Tsiolkovsky
Konstantin Tsiolkovsky was a Russian rocket scientist and a pioneer of astronautics. This biography provides detailed information about his childhood, family, personal life, career, achievements, etc.
Childhood & Early Life
He was born on May 31, 1872 in Wilton, New Hampshire, United States, to Harris Abbot, a farmer and his wife, Caroline Ann Greeley Abbot.
He was the youngest child in his family with an elder brother, Stanley Harris Abbot, and two elder sisters, Ella Caroline Abbot and Florence Hale Abbot.
He was an innovative child and his inventions displayed his talent. He constructed a forge to fix tools, built a water wheel to power a saw, and a bicycle.
He attended several public schools and was finally enrolled at the ‘Phillips Andover Academy’. When he was 13, he dropped out of school to become a carpenter but later returned to complete his high school, which he did in 1890.
Then he went to Massachusetts Institute of Technology to study chemical engineering but later developed an interest towards physics and switched to it. He completed his M.Sc. in Physics in 1895.
Career
In 1895, he started his career as an assistant to Samuel P. Langley, a famous physicist and inventor, at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge.
He became a researcher on solar radiations after Langley shifted his attention from solar radiations to aeronautics. He journeyed with Langley on expeditions to North Carolina and Sumatra to observe solar eclipses.
During his expeditions to Algeria, Egypt, South Africa, Australia, and other countries, he established his reputation of being a keen observer and impressed many astronomers with his talent.
After the death of Langley in 1906, he became the acting director of Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) and the following year, he was appointed the Director of SAO, a post he held for almost four decades.
In 1918, he was elected as the Assistant Secretary of Smithsonian Institution and executed his duties for proper functioning of the Smithsonian Institution Libraries, the International Exchange Service and the SAO.
In 1928, he was appointed as the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution along with his post as the director of SAO. Being a Secretary, he participated in fundraising events for the institution and oversaw the Smithsonian's participation in ‘Works Progress Administration’ projects.
In 1929, he opened the Radiation Biology Laboratory which supported the study of radiation effects on plants, and other organisms.
Later in his research career, he turned his focus on solar energy use. Being a promoter of harnessing solar energy for various purposes, he invented the solar cooker, the solar boiler and held 15 other patents related to solar energy.
He retired as the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and the Director of Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in 1944. He was awarded the Secretary Emeritus status and he continued to pursue his research work on solar energy even after retirement. .
Major Works
One of his most notable works is the research he conducted to calculate the approximate value of solar constant, the measure of the total solar radiation energy received by the Earth over a given area and time.
He also designed solar heaters and cookers to use for lectures and demonstrations to popularize the importance of solar energy. His extensive work on solar power was the basis of a wide variety of appliances that use solar energy as their power source in today’s world.
Awards & Achievements
In 1910, he was honored with the ‘Henry Draper Medal’ by the United States National Academy of Sciences ‘for his investigations in astronomical physics’.
In 1915, he was awarded the distinguished ‘Rumford Prize’, one of the oldest scientific prizes in the United States, by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Personal Life & Legacy
In 1897, he married Lillian Elvira Moore. She died in 1944, after 46 years of their marriage. They had no children.
In 1954, he married Virginia Andes Johnston. They also had no children.
He died on December 17, 1973 in Riverdale, Maryland, U.S. at the age of 101.
‘Abbot Award’, named after him, is awarded every year for “significant contributions to solar energy research” by The American Solar Energy Society.
// Famous Astrophysicists
Neil deGrasse Tyson
Neil deGrasse Tyson is an eminent astrophysicist and a popular science communicator. This biography of Neil deGrasse Tyson provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.
J. Allen Hynek
Josef Allen Hynek was an American astronomer and ufologist. This biography of Josef Allen Hynek provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.
Carl Sagan
Carl Sagan was an American astronomer, astrophysicist, cosmology expert and author. This biography profiles his childhood, family life, facts, career, achievements and timeline.
Charles Greeley Abbot's awards
| Year | Name | Award |
|---|---|---|
Other | ||
| 0 | Henry Draper Medal (1910) | |
| 0 | Rumford Prize (1915) | |
Charles Greeley Abbot biography timelines
- // 31st May 1872He was born on May 31, 1872 in Wilton, New Hampshire, United States, to Harris Abbot, a farmer and his wife, Caroline Ann Greeley Abbot.
- // 1890He attended several public schools and was finally enrolled at the ‘Phillips Andover Academy’. When he was 13, he dropped out of school to become a carpenter but later returned to complete his high school, which he did in 1890.
- // 1895Then he went to Massachusetts Institute of Technology to study chemical engineering but later developed an interest towards physics and switched to it. He completed his M.Sc. in Physics in 1895.
- // 1895In 1895, he started his career as an assistant to Samuel P. Langley, a famous physicist and inventor, at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge.
- // 1897 To 1944In 1897, he married Lillian Elvira Moore. She died in 1944, after 46 years of their marriage. They had no children.
- // 1906After the death of Langley in 1906, he became the acting director of Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) and the following year, he was appointed the Director of SAO, a post he held for almost four decades.
- // 1910In 1910, he was honored with the ‘Henry Draper Medal’ by the United States National Academy of Sciences ‘for his investigations in astronomical physics’.
- // 1915In 1915, he was awarded the distinguished ‘Rumford Prize’, one of the oldest scientific prizes in the United States, by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
- // 1918In 1918, he was elected as the Assistant Secretary of Smithsonian Institution and executed his duties for proper functioning of the Smithsonian Institution Libraries, the International Exchange Service and the SAO.
- // 1928In 1928, he was appointed as the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution along with his post as the director of SAO. Being a Secretary, he participated in fundraising events for the institution and oversaw the Smithsonian's participation in ‘Works Progress Administration’ projects.
- // 1929In 1929, he opened the Radiation Biology Laboratory which supported the study of radiation effects on plants, and other organisms.
- // 1944He retired as the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and the Director of Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in 1944. He was awarded the Secretary Emeritus status and he continued to pursue his research work on solar energy even after retirement. .
- // 1954In 1954, he married Virginia Andes Johnston. They also had no children.
- // 17th Dec 1973He died on December 17, 1973 in Riverdale, Maryland, U.S. at the age of 101.
// Famous Gemini Celebrities peoples
Wentworth Miller
Wentworth Miller is an American actor and screenwriter who achieved recognition for his role in the TV series ‘Prison Break’.
Joyce Meyer
Joyce Meyer is a Christian author and speaker. This biography provides detailed information about her childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline
Zoe LaVerne
Zoe LaVerne is an American musical.ly star. Check out this biography to know more about her family, personal life, including her age, birthday, etc.
WolfieRaps
Check out all that you wanted to know about WolfieRaps, the famous YouTube Personality; his birthday, his family and personal life, his girlfriends, fun trivia facts and more.
Adam Saleh
Check out all that you wanted to know about Adam Saleh, the famous YouTube Personality; his birthday, his family and personal life, his girlfriends, fun trivia facts and more.
Isaak Presley
All about American actor and singer Isaak Presley including his age, birthday, family life, girlfriends, net worth, and some fun facts.
Charles Greeley Abbot's FAQ
What is Charles Greeley Abbot birthday?
Charles Greeley Abbot was born at 1872-05-31
When was Charles Greeley Abbot died?
Charles Greeley Abbot was died at 1973-12-17
Where was Charles Greeley Abbot died?
Charles Greeley Abbot was died in Riverdale Park
Where is Charles Greeley Abbot's birth place?
Charles Greeley Abbot was born in Wilton
What is Charles Greeley Abbot nationalities?
Charles Greeley Abbot's nationalities is American
Who is Charles Greeley Abbot spouses?
Charles Greeley Abbot's spouses is Lillian Elvira Moore, Virginia Andes Johnston
What was Charles Greeley Abbot universities?
Charles Greeley Abbot studied at Massachusetts Institute Of Technology (MIT), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Phillips Academy
What was Charles Greeley Abbot notable alumnis?
Charles Greeley Abbot's notable alumnis is Massachusetts Institute Of Technology (MIT)
What is Charles Greeley Abbot's sun sign?
Charles Greeley Abbot is Gemini
How famous is Charles Greeley Abbot?
Charles Greeley Abbot is famouse as Astrophysicist