Francis Charles McMath

Francis Charles McMath (1867-February 13 1938) was an American engineer and amateur astronomer.

He became successful in the bridge-building industry, and was president of the Canadian Bridge and Iron Company in Detroit. (Detroit Bridge & Iron Works.)His sons were named Robert Raynolds and Neil Cook.

He had a strong interest in amateur astronomy, and, along with his son Robert, began an ambitious program of observatory development. They collaborated with Judge Henry S. Hulbert from Wayne County, Michigan to construct The McMath-Hulbert Observatory by Lake Angelus near Pontiac, Michigan. They began collaborating with the University of Michigan, and in 1931 the director suggested naming the site the McMath-Hulbert Observatory in honor of the founders. Robert would became a solar astronomer.

In 1932 the McMath's and Judge Hulbert devised an innovative technique of taking multiple still images of the Sun, Moon, planets and stars, then combining them into a movie. [" [http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20021026/timeline.asp Sun, Moon and Stars in the Movies] ", "Science News", 23 October 1932.]

Following his death a 24" Cassegrain added to the McMath-Hulbert Observatory was named the F. C. McMath Memorial Telescope. McMath crater on the Moon was later co-named for Francis and his son Robert. A gift to the Union College in 1946 endowed a summer research fellowship in Civil Engineering in his name.

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