S. W. Burnham

S. W. Burnham
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Name	S. W. Burnham
Caption	Sherburne Wesley Burnham
Birth date	12 December 1838
Birth place	Thetford, Vermont, U.S.
Death date	11 March 1921
Death place	Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Fields	Astronomy
Workplaces	Dearborn Observatory, Lick Observatory, Yerkes Observatory
Known for	Discovery of double stars, Burnham Double Star Catalogue
Awards	Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society (1894), Lalande Prize (1904)

S. W. Burnham. Sherburne Wesley Burnham (December 12, 1838 – March 11, 1921) was an American astronomer renowned for his prolific discoveries of double stars. A largely self-taught observer, his meticulous work revolutionized the field of binary star astronomy and produced foundational catalogs. He conducted significant portions of his career at major institutions like the Dearborn Observatory, Lick Observatory, and Yerkes Observatory.

Early life and career

Born in Thetford, Vermont, Burnham developed an early interest in the stars. He moved to Chicago as a young man, where he worked as a court reporter while pursuing astronomy as an avid amateur. His first significant telescope was a 6-inch Alvan Clark refractor, with which he began his systematic sweeps of the heavens. His skill quickly gained recognition from the professional community, leading to a formal association with the Dearborn Observatory and its director, George Washington Hough. This period established his reputation for extraordinary visual acuity and patience at the eyepiece.

Discovery of double stars

Burnham's primary legacy is his discovery and measurement of thousands of double stars, many of which were extremely close pairs requiring exceptional atmospheric conditions to resolve. He published his first catalog of new doubles in the Memoirs of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1873, which brought him international acclaim. His most famous discovery is perhaps the companion to Rigel in the constellation Orion, a testament to his observing prowess. He meticulously measured the position angle and separation of these systems, providing critical data for calculating orbits and masses. His work was instrumental in proving the gravitational connection of many pairs, supporting Isaac Newton's laws on a stellar scale.

Work at Lick and Yerkes Observatories

In 1888, Burnham was invited to join the staff of the newly opened Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton, home to the great 36-inch refractor. There, he collaborated with astronomers like James Edward Keeler and Edward Singleton Holden. Using the powerful telescopes, he extended his double star surveys and conducted measurements of exceptional precision. In 1897, he moved to the University of Chicago's Yerkes Observatory, which housed the 40-inch refractor, the largest of its kind. At Yerkes, he worked under director George Ellery Hale and continued his cataloging work, eventually compiling the monumental two-volume Burnham Double Star Catalogue, published by the Carnegie Institution of Washington.

Later life and legacy

Burnham received numerous honors for his contributions, including the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1894 and the Lalande Prize from the French Academy of Sciences in 1904. He was a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Astronomical Society. After retiring from Yerkes, he remained active in the astronomical community until his death in Chicago in 1921. His catalogs remained standard references for decades, and the Burnham Double Star Catalogue is still cited in modern research. The Lunar crater Burnham is named in his honor, as is the asteroid 834 Burnhamia.

List of discovered double stars

Among the thousands of double stars he discovered, several notable systems bear his name or are famous test objects for telescopes. These include **Burnham 1** (Σ 1, in Cassiopeia), a celebrated pair for amateur observers. His discoveries are systematically listed in the General Catalogue of Double Stars by Aitken and his own Burnham Double Star Catalogue. Many of his finds, such as the companion to Antares, are critical for studies of stellar evolution and mass determination in binary systems.

Category:American astronomers Category:Double star observers Category:1838 births Category:1921 deaths