astronomy

George Comstock (astronomer)

George Comstock (astronomer) is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand George Comstock (astronomer) rather than just read about it. In short: George Cary Comstock (February 12, 1855 – May 11, 1934) was an American astronomer and educator. Biography George Comstock was born in Madison, Wisconsin on February 12, 1855, the eldest child of Charles Henry Comstock and Mercy Bronson.

Key takeaways

George Comstock (astronomer) belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect George Comstock (astronomer) to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of George Comstock (astronomer) from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

George Cary Comstock (February 12, 1855 – May 11, 1934) was an American astronomer and educator.

Biography George Comstock was born in Madison, Wisconsin on February 12, 1855, the eldest child of Charles Henry Comstock and Mercy Bronson. In 1877 he was awarded a Ph.B. from the University of Michigan, after studying mathematics and astronomy. For a couple of years he worked for the U.S. Lake Survey and then a Mississippi River improvement project, before joining Washburn Observatory as the assistant director in 1879. As career insurance, during his free moments he studied law and was admitted to the Wisconsin bar in 1883 after graduating from Wisconsin law school. However, he would never practice the legal profession. He was appointed professor at Ohio State University in 1887, where he taught mathematics and astronomy, and he took over directorship of the Washburn Observatory. On June 12, 1894, he was married to Esther Cecile Everett, and the couple had a daughter, Mary Cecelia Comstock Carey. He helped organize the American Astronomical Society in 1897, serving first as secretary and later as vice president. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1899. In 1904 he was appointed first chair of the University of Wisconsin graduate school, later becoming Dean. He held this position until 1920, then retired in 1922 as Professor Emeritus of Astronomy. In 1925 he became president of the American Astronomical Society. During his career he wrote several textbooks and published articles in scientific journals. The crater Comstock on the far side of the Moon is named after him. His brother Louis became Chairman of the Board at New York Title Insurance Company. George Comstock died in Madison on May 11, 1934, and was buried at Forest Hill Cemetery.

References

External links Deprecated link at archive.today (archived April 28, 2016)

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with George Comstock (astronomer)

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what George Comstock (astronomer) claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to George Comstock (astronomer) before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about George Comstock (astronomer) ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of George Comstock (astronomer)

In research: George Comstock (astronomer) appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses George Comstock (astronomer) in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: George Comstock (astronomer) is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1855 births, 1934 deaths, American astronomers, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for George Comstock (astronomer) outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study George Comstock (astronomer) in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what George Comstock (astronomer) means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain George Comstock (astronomer) out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is George Comstock (astronomer) in simple terms?

George Cary Comstock (February 12, 1855 – May 11, 1934) was an American astronomer and educator. Biography George Comstock was born in Madison, Wisconsin on February 12, 1855, the eldest child of Charles Henry Comstock and Mercy Bronson.

Why does George Comstock (astronomer) matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study George Comstock (astronomer)?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on George Comstock (astronomer).