Hermann F. Haupt

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Hermann F. Haupt (born January 14, 1926 in Neunkirchen ; † May 18, 2017 in Graz ) was an Austrian astronomer and pioneer in the study of planetoids .

life and career

Hermann F. Haupt was born on January 14, 1926 in the Lower Austrian municipality of Neunkirchen and was interested in astronomy even in his youth . He then began such studies at the University of Vienna , which he finished with a thesis on the minor planets (1) Ceres , (2) Pallas , (3) Juno and (4) Vesta . After receiving his doctorate , he began his academic career at the University Observatories in Vienna and Graz . He also worked from 1951 to 1952 at the Lick Observatory of the University of California at the summit of Mount Hamilton in the US state of California . As one of the first in his field, he dealt with the study of small planets, the so-called asteroids, and was considered one of the pioneers in this research.

Soon afterwards Haupt was appointed professor at the University of Graz and was closely associated with it for decades. For a period of 24 years from 1970 to 1994 he headed the then Institute for Astronomy and also appeared as the first dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences after it split off from the former Faculty of Philosophy in 1978. Under his leadership, the Institute for Astronomy played an important role in the physical observation and research of the minor planets. In 1994 Haupt retired . The Institute for Astronomy at Graz University was merged with the Institute for Meteorology and Geophysics on December 3, 1999 in the joint Institute for Geophysics, Astrophysics and Meteorology (IGAM).

Hermann F. Haupt, who has received many awards and honored for his services to science, also appeared as an organizer of solar eclipse expeditions in Europe, Central America and Africa. He was regarded as an internationally recognized astronomer and was a corresponding member from 1972 and a full member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) from 1978 . For decades he was associated with the Academy and exercised various functions and was involved in various bodies and commissions of the Academy. Among other things, he was chairman of the commission for astronomy and was actively involved in the geophysical and radio-scientific commission, as well as the commission for space research. For his services he was awarded the Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Art, 1st Class , among other things . Haupt was also a member of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP), the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) and the International Astronomical Union (IAU). In the latter organization he also held numerous functions.

Between 1985 and 1988, and again between 1988 and 1991, he was an Organizing Committee Member of Commission 15: Physical Study of Comets & Minor Planets ; He was an active member of this commission for many other years. Until 2011 he also chaired the IAU's National Committee for Astronomy in Austria. Until 2012 he was a member of Division III: Planetary Systems Sciences and Division XII: Union-Wide Activities . He was also a member of Commission 41: History of Astronomy from 2003 to 2015 and a member of Commission 20: Positions & Motions of Minor Planets, Comets & Satellites until 2015 . Until his death, he was also a member of Division C: Education, Outreach and Heritage and Division F: Planetary Systems and Bioastronomy .

On May 18, 2017, Haupt died at the age of 91 in Graz and was buried on June 6, 2017 at the St. Peter cemetery in Graz after a farewell in the Mariahilf church in Graz .

In his honor, an asteroid ( (2870) Haupt ) discovered by Edward LG Bowell at Anderson Mesa Station on June 4, 1981 was named after him. A main belt asteroid discovered on January 14, 1988, Haupt's 62nd birthday, by Henri Debehogne from the La Silla Observatory was named Neunkirchen in honor of Haupt and Gerhard Hahn's birthplace (4216) .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ General information on the history of IGAM , accessed on March 10, 2018
  2. ↑ Part of Hermann F. Haupt on trauerhilfe.at
  3. ^ Part (1) of Hermann F. Haupt in the obituaries of the Kleine Zeitung , accessed on March 10, 2018
  4. ↑ Part (2) from Hermann F. Haupt in the obituaries of the Kleine Zeitung , accessed on March 10, 2018
personal data
SURNAME Haupt, Hermann F.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian astronomer and university professor
DATE OF BIRTH January 14, 1926
PLACE OF BIRTH Neunkirchen , Austria
DATE OF DEATH 18th May 2017
Place of death Graz , Austria