astronomy

Sinclair Smith (astronomer)

Sinclair Smith (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 Sinclair Smith (astronomer) rather than just read about it. In short: Sinclair Smith (24 March 1899 in Chicago – 18 May 1938 in Pasadena) was an American astronomer. His observations of the Virgo Cluster were among the first to suggest the existence of dark matter.

Key takeaways

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Reference excerpt

Sinclair Smith (24 March 1899 in Chicago – 18 May 1938 in Pasadena) was an American astronomer. His observations of the Virgo Cluster were among the first to suggest the existence of dark matter.

Biography Born in Chicago, Smith moved with his family to Italy in 1906 for two years. They then relocated to Indiana, where they lived until 1913, before settling in California. As a child, he showed a great interest in mechanical design and drawing. He was hired as a draughtsman for the design of the Mount Wilson Observatory's 100-inch (2.5-metre) Hooker Telescope. He earned his bachelor's degree from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in 1921, and in 1924, he obtained his Ph.D. for his work with John August Anderson. His doctoral work focused on the exploding wire method, used to obtain laboratory spectra at high excitation and ionization energies. He then spent a year at the Cavendish Laboratory at Cambridge University, and worked at the physics laboratory of the Mount Wilson Observatory for the rest of his life. He died of cancer in 1938 at the age of 39.

Publications Sinclair Smith (January 15, 1924). "Note on Electrically Exploded Wires in High Vacuum". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 10 (1): 4–5. Bibcode:1924PNAS...10....4S. doi:10.1073/pnas.10.1.4. ISSN 0027-8424. JSTOR 84200. PMC 1085498. PMID 16576775. Sinclair Smith; Richard C. Tolman (May 15, 1926). "On the Nature of Light". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 12 (5): 343–347. Bibcode:1926PNAS...12..343T. doi:10.1073/pnas.12.5.343. JSTOR 84632. PMC 1084554. PMID 16587092. Sinclair Smith; Richard C. Tolman (August 15, 1926). "Remarks on Professor Lewis's Note on the Path of Light Quanta in an Interference Field". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 12 (8): 508–509. Bibcode:1926PNAS...12..508T. doi:10.1073/pnas.12.8.508. JSTOR 84735. PMC 1084655. PMID 16587118. Sinclair Smith (May 15, 1930). "The Effect of Low Temperatures on the Sensitivity of Radiometers". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 16 (5): 373–376. Bibcode:1930PNAS...16..373S. doi:10.1073/pnas.16.5.373. JSTOR 85567. PMC 526650. PMID 16587584. Sinclair Smith (August 1934). "The Spectral Distribution of Stellar Energy Determined with the Radiometer". Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. 46 (272): 215–216. Bibcode:1934PASP...46..215S. doi:10.1086/124465. ISSN 0004-6280. JSTOR 40669205. S2CID 123240759.

References

Appendices

Bibliography

Biography [Necrology] John August Anderson (August 1938). "Sinclair Smith". Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. 50 (296). Astronomical Society of the Pacific: 232–233. Bibcode:1938PASP...50..232A. doi:10.1086/124947. eISSN 1538-3873. ISSN 0004-6280. S2CID 250792095.. Virginia Trimble (1990). "Smith Sinclair (1899-1938)". In Bertotti B, Balbinot R, Bergia S (eds.). Modern Cosmology in Retrospect. Cambridge University Press. pp. 411–413. ISBN 9780521372138.. Virginia Trimble (2007). "Smith, Sinclair". In Thomas Hockey; et al. (eds.). Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers. Springer Science+Business Media. pp. 1067–1068. doi:10.1007/978-0-387-30400-7_1292. ISBN 9780387304007..

Other works Brian Greene (2007). "A Prediction of Darkness". The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality. Doubleday. pp. 294–295. ISBN 9780307428530..

External links

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Sinclair Smith (astronomer)

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Sinclair Smith (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 Sinclair Smith (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 Sinclair Smith (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 Sinclair Smith (astronomer)

In research: Sinclair Smith (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 Sinclair Smith (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: Sinclair Smith (astronomer) is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1899 births, 1938 deaths, American astronomers, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Sinclair Smith (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 Sinclair Smith (astronomer) in 20 minutes

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Frequently asked questions

What is Sinclair Smith (astronomer) in simple terms?

Sinclair Smith (24 March 1899 in Chicago – 18 May 1938 in Pasadena) was an American astronomer. His observations of the Virgo Cluster were among the first to suggest the existence of dark matter.

Why does Sinclair Smith (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 Sinclair Smith (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 Sinclair Smith (astronomer).