George Abel

George Ogden Abel (March 1st 1927 – October 7th 1983) was a Astronome of UCLA. He was admired like enquiring astronomer, talented teacher, administrator, spokesperson in science and education and as detractor of the Pseudo-science S. Abell obtained his B.S. (1951), M.S. (1952) and Ph.D. (1957) with the California Institute off Technology. He began his career of astronomer like guides of visit to the Observatoire Griffith with Los Angeles.

Like astronomer, it is especially known for its catalog of cluster of Galaxie S collected during its work like observer for the Palomar Observatory Sky Survey. The analysis which it made of these clusters improved our comprehension of their formation and their evolution. It showed that the clusters of second level existed, refuting the hierarchical model of Carl Charlier. It also showed how the Luminosité clusters could be used like scale of distance.

The Catalog of Abel is an almost complete list of approximately 4000 clusters containing at least thirty members until a Redshift of Z = 0,2 (See Liste of galaxy cluster). The initial catalog of cluster of the northern hemisphere was published in 1958. The extended catalog, including the clusters of the southern hemisphere, was published in posthumous title in 1987 in collaboration with Harold G. Corwin and Ronald P. Olowin.

Abel also Co-discovered the periodic Comet 52P/Harrington-Abel. With Peter Goldreich, it establishes correctly that the planetary nebulas come from the giant reds.

Abel devoted himself to teaching and was during more than 20 years member of the body teaching with the Summer Science Program for the students of higher education. The program always pays to him homage through the school purse Abell. It was implied in the production of the educational series TV Understanding Space and Time (to include/understand space and time) and Project Universe (Univers project).

Abel was a keen destroyer of the remarks pseudo-scientists such as those of Immanuel Velikovsky. He was one of the cofounders of the Committee one Scientific Investigation off Claims off the Paranormal (CSICOP) and wrote articles for their review, The Skeptical Inquirer .

Abel was president of the commission of Cosmology of the international astronomical Union and chair Astronomical Society off the Pacific. He was elected member of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1970. He was president of the department of astronomy of the UCLA of 1968 to 1975 and chair committee for the education of the American company of astronomy. At the time of its death, it was going to become editor of the Astronomical Journal , starting from January 1st 1984.

The Astéroïde (3449) Abel bears its name, just like the observatory George Abell with the Open University with Milton Keynes in England.

See too

List of the clusters of Abel
Catalog of Abel
: Category: Objects of Abel

Obituaries

JRASC ''' 77 ''' (1983) L85
QJRAS ''' 30 ''' (1989) 283

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George Abel

See too

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Obituaries