Kingston’s First Eclipse Chaser: The Life and Career of Astronomer Samuel A. Mitchell

Michael White,
Engineering and Science Librarian (Queen's University)
Liaison for Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Mathematics and Statistics, and Physics, Engineering Physics, and Astronomy

 

Although he is not well known today, Samuel A. Mitchell had an extraordinary life and career. He was born on April 29, 1874 in Kingston, the sixth of ten children of John C. Mitchell and Sarah Chown Mitchell. He attended local schools and in 1890 entered Queen’s University, where he developed an interest in mathematics and physics. In 1895, Mitchell’s mentor, Professor Nathan F. Dupuis, persuaded him to continue his education at Johns Hopkins University. Mitchell completed his PhD in 1898 and decided to pursue a career in astronomy. His research interests included variable stars, stellar parallaxes, and solar eclipses. He was a member of ten eclipse expeditions, many to remote and exotic locations. From 1913 to his retirement in 1945, he was the director of the McCormick Observatory at the University of Virginia. Mitchell was active in professional associations and cultivated a large network of friends and colleagues. His closest friend and mentor was E. E. Barnard, a pioneer of astrophotography. Throughout his life, Mitchell maintained a connection to Queen’s and visited Kingston as often as his schedule allowed. This talk will review highlights of his career and life, and his lifelong commitment to Queen’s.

Timbits, coffee, tea will be served in STI A before the colloquium.