Charles Dillon Perrine

Charles Dillon Perrine (born July 28, 1867 in Ohio , † June 21, 1951 in Villa del Totoral, Argentina ) was an American- born astronomer who later lived and worked in Argentina.

Live and act

Perrine worked at the Lick Observatory in California from 1893 to 1909 . From 1909 to 1936 he was director of the Argentine National Observatory in Córdoba (today Observatorio Astronómico de Córdoba ).

In 1901, together with George Willis Ritchey , he observed gas nebulae around the star Nova Persei in 1901 , which apparently moved faster than light . This effect comes about because matter moves towards the observer at high speed and emits light in the process.

In 1904 and 1905, Perrine discovered two moons on the planet Jupiter, now known as Himalia and Elara . However, they were not given these names until 1975, before they were simply referred to as Jupiter's moons VI and VII .

He was also the discoverer or co-discoverer of several comets , including the lost comet 18D / Perrine-Mrkos . The astronomer Antonín Mrkos named the later discovered asteroid (6779) Perrine in his honor .

Perrine promoted astrophysical research in Argentina and pushed the construction of a large telescope (the Bosque Alegre telescope), which was not completed until 1942.

He spent his retirement in Argentina. In 1951 he died in Villa General Miter (which was later renamed back to its original name, Villa del Totoral). He was buried in the Cementerio Disidente cemetery in Cordoba (Argentina) .

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personal data
SURNAME	Perrine, Charles Dillon
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American-Argentine astronomer
DATE OF BIRTH	July 28, 1867
PLACE OF BIRTH	Ohio , USA
DATE OF DEATH	June 21, 1951
Place of death	Villa del Totoral, Argentina