James Ferguson (astronomer, 1797)
James Ferguson (born August 31, 1797 in Perthshire , Scotland , † September 26, 1867 in Washington, DC ) was an American engineer and astronomer .
James Ferguson, who lived in the United States since 1800, initially worked as an engineer, including building the Erie Canal .
From 1847 he worked as an astronomer at the Naval Observatory in Washington, DC He discovered three asteroids (see List of Asteroids ), including Euphrosyne , the first asteroid discovered from North America. In his memory, the asteroid discovered in 1941 (1745) was named Ferguson .
Web links
- J. Ferguson publications in the Astrophysics Data System
- BT Sands: The late Mr. James Ferguson, of the Naval Observatory, Washington. Astronomische Nachrichten, Vol. 71 (1868), p. 101. (Obituary, English)
personal data | |
---|---|
SURNAME | Ferguson, James |
BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American engineer and astronomer |
DATE OF BIRTH | August 31, 1797 |
PLACE OF BIRTH | Perthshire , Scotland |
DATE OF DEATH | September 26, 1867 |
Place of death | Washington, DC |