James A. Westphal
James Adolph Westphal (born June 13, 1930 in Dubuque ; † September 8, 2004 in Altadena ) was an American astronomer and geologist and, among other things, led the team that manufactured the first camera for the Hubble Space Telescope .
In 1954 he finished his physics degree at the University of Tulsa with a bachelor's degree . In 1961 he joined the California Institute of Technology as a senior engineer . He became Associate Professor of Planetary Sciences in 1971 and Professor in 1976. In 1985 he was accepted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences . In 1991 he received a MacArthur Fellowship .
In 1973 Westphal developed a highly sensitive camera for the 200-inch Hale telescope , which at that time was 20 times more sensitive to light than normal film . That camera is now in the National Air and Space Museum .
Westphal invented and developed a variety of cameras, such as a small camera that can be plugged into a geyser or volcano , or cameras that can withstand extreme pressure in the deep sea . He died of complications from Alzheimer's at the age of 74 .
Web links
- JA Westphal publications in the Astrophysics Data System
- Portrait on the California Institute of Technology website ( Memento October 4, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
Individual evidence
- ↑ Robert Tindol: Caltech press release, 09/14/2004, Dr. James A. Westphal / Maverick scientist and instrument builder Jim Westphal dies. Retrieved July 22, 2008 .
- ^ Danielson, G. Edward. Obituary: James Adolph Westphal, 1930-2004. In: Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society. Vol. 36, No. 5, pp. 1687-1688.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Westphal, James A. |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Westphal, James Adolph |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American astronomer and geologist |
| DATE OF BIRTH | June 13, 1930 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Dubuque |
| DATE OF DEATH | September 8, 2004 |
| Place of death | Altadena |