- Carl Leo Stearns
Carl Leo Stearns (1892-November 28, 1972) was an American
astronomer .After being awarded his Ph.D. in 1917, he became an instructor in mathematics and astronomy at Wesleyan University in 1919. He became an assistant professor in 1920, then an associate professor in 1942 and a full professor in 1944. He served as chairman of the astronomy department at Wesleyan, then in 1960 he was named as emeritus Fisk professor of astronomy. From 1960–71, after serving as an assistant, he became director of the
Van Vleck Observatory ; the second to hold that position.During his career he computed more than 200 stellar
trigonometric parallax es. In 1927 he discovered the comet 1927 IV (comet Stearns, 1927d). This is one of the largest comets discovered and it holds the record for the maximum heliocentric distance a comet has ever been observed.The
asteroid (2035) Stearns was named after him, as was Stearns crater on thefar side of the Moon .References
*cite book
first=Lutz D. | last=Schmadel | year=2003
title=Dictionary of Minor Planet Names
publisher=Springer | pages=165
isbn=3540002383
*cite web
author=Staff
url=http://www.wesleyan.edu/physics/history/faculty.html
title=The Science Faculty, 1831-1961
work=A brief history of Wesleyan
publisher=Wesleyan University
accessdate=2008-08-01
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