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{{Short description|American astronomer}}
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{{Infobox Scientist
{{about||the footballer and chairman of Everton F.C.|Daniel Kirkwood (footballer, born 1867)|the Scottish footballer|Dan Kirkwood}}

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{{Infobox scientist
|name = Daniel Kirkwood
|name = Daniel Kirkwood
|box_width =
|image = Daniel Kirkwood c. 1894.jpg
|image = Daniel Kirkwood.jpg
|image_size =
|image_size = 99px
|caption = Daniel Kirkwood
|caption = Daniel Kirkwood
|birth_date = {{birth date|1814|09|27|}}
|birth_date = {{birth date|1814|9|27|}}
|birth_place = [[Harford County, Maryland]]
|birth_place = [[Harford County, Maryland]]
|death_date = {{death date and age|1895|06|11|1814|09|27}}
|death_date = {{death date and age|1895|6|11|1814|9|27}}
|death_place = [[Riverside, California]]
|death_place = [[Riverside, California]]
|residence =
|residence =
|citizenship =
|citizenship =
|nationality = {{USA}}
|nationality = American
|ethnicity =
|ethnicity =
|field = [[astronomy]], [[mathematics]]
|field = [[astronomy]], mathematics
|work_institutions = [[University of Delaware]]<br> [[Indiana University (Bloomington)|Indiana University]]<br> [[Washington and Jefferson College|Jefferson College]]<br> [[Stanford University]]
|work_institutions = [[University of Delaware]]<br />[[Indiana University (Bloomington)|Indiana University]]<br />[[Washington and Jefferson College|Jefferson College]]<br />[[Stanford University]]
|alma_mater = York County Academy, [[York, Pennsylvania|York, PA]]
|alma_mater = York County Academy, [[York, Pennsylvania|York, PA]]
|doctoral_advisor =
|doctoral_advisor =
|doctoral_students =
|doctoral_students =
|known_for = Discovery of the [[Kirkwood Gaps]].
|known_for = Discovery of the [[Kirkwood Gaps]]
|author_abbrev_bot =
|author_abbrev_bot =
|author_abbrev_zoo =
|author_abbrev_zoo =
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}}
}}


'''Daniel Kirkwood''' (September 27, 1814 - June 11, 1895) was an [[USA|American]] [[astronomer]].
'''Daniel Kirkwood''' (September 27, 1814 – June 11, 1895) was an American [[astronomer]].


Born in [[Harford County, Maryland]], he was graduated in [[mathematics]] from the York County Academy in [[York, Pennsylvania]] in 1838. After teaching there for five years, he became Principal of the Lancaster High School in [[Lancaster, Pennsylvania]], and after another five years he moved on to become Principal of the Pottsville Academy in [[Pottsville, Pennsylvania]]. In 1851 he became Professor of Mathematics at [[University of Delaware|Delaware College]] and in 1856 Professor of Mathematics at [[Indiana University Bloomington|Indiana University]] in [[Bloomington, Indiana]], where he stayed until his retirement in 1886, with the exception of two years, 1865-1867, at [[Washington and Jefferson College|Jefferson College]] in [[Canonsburg, Pennsylvania]].
Kirkwood was born in [[Harford County, Maryland]], to John and Agnes (née Hope) Kirkwood.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers |last=Hockey |first=Thomas |year=2009 |publisher=[[Springer Publishing]] |isbn=978-0-387-31022-0 |accessdate=August 22, 2012 |url=http://www.springerreference.com/docs/html/chapterdbid/58779.html}}</ref> He graduated in mathematics from the York County Academy in [[York, Pennsylvania]], in 1838. After teaching there for five years, he became Principal of the Lancaster High School in [[Lancaster, Pennsylvania]], and after another five years he moved on to become Principal of the Pottsville Academy in [[Pottsville, Pennsylvania]]. In 1851, he was elected as a member to the [[American Philosophical Society]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=APS Member History|url=https://search.amphilsoc.org/memhist/search?creator=&title=&subject=&subdiv=&mem=&year=1851&year-max=1851&dead=&keyword=&smode=advanced|access-date=2021-04-14|website=search.amphilsoc.org}}</ref> The same year he became Professor of Mathematics at [[University of Delaware|Delaware College]] and in 1856 Professor of Mathematics at [[Indiana University Bloomington|Indiana University]] in [[Bloomington, Indiana]], where he stayed until his retirement in 1886, with the exception of two years, 1865–1867, at [[Washington and Jefferson College|Jefferson College]] in [[Canonsburg, Pennsylvania]].


Kirkwood's most significant contribution came from his study of [[asteroid]] orbits. When arranging the then-growing number of discovered asteroids by their distance from the Sun, he noted several gaps<ref name="Kirkwood1866">Kirkwood, Daniel (1866). "On the Theory of Meteors" in ''Proceedings of American Association for the Advancement of Science for 1866'', pp.8-14.</ref>, now named [[Kirkwood gap]]s in his honor, and associated these gaps with [[orbital resonance]]s with the orbit of [[Jupiter]]. Further, Kirkwood also suggested a similar dynamic was responsible for [[Rings of Saturn#Cassini Division|Cassini Division]] in [[Rings of Saturn|Saturn's rings]], as the result of a [[orbital resonance|resonance]] with one of [[Moons of Saturn|Saturn's moons]]. In the same paper, he was the first to correctly posit that the material in [[meteor shower]]s is [[comet|cometary]] debris.
Kirkwood's most significant contribution came from his study of [[asteroid]] orbits. When arranging the then-growing number of discovered asteroids by their distance from the Sun, he noted several gaps,<ref name="Kirkwood1866">Kirkwood, Daniel (1866). "On the Theory of Meteors" in ''Proceedings of American Association for the Advancement of Science for 1866'', pp.8-14.</ref> now named [[Kirkwood gap]]s in his honor, and associated these gaps with [[orbital resonance]]s with the orbit of [[Jupiter]]. Further, Kirkwood also suggested a similar dynamic was responsible for [[Rings of Saturn#Cassini Division|Cassini Division]] in [[Rings of Saturn|Saturn's rings]], as the result of a [[orbital resonance|resonance]] with one of [[Moons of Saturn|Saturn's moons]]. In the same paper, he was the first to correctly posit that the material in [[meteor shower]]s is [[comet]]ary debris.


Kirkwood also identified a pattern relating the distances of the [[planet]]s to their rotation periods, which was called Kirkwood's Law. This discovery earned Kirkwood an international reputation among astronomers; he was dubbed "the American [[Johannes Kepler|Kepler]]" by [[Sears Cook Walker]], who claimed that Kirkwood's Law proved the widely held [[Solar nebula|Solar Nebula Theory]]. The "Law" has since become discredited as new measurements of planetary rotation periods have shown that the pattern doesn't hold.
Kirkwood also identified a pattern relating the distances of the [[planet]]s to their rotation periods, which was called Kirkwood's Law. This discovery earned Kirkwood an international reputation among astronomers; he was dubbed "the American [[Johannes Kepler|Kepler]]" by [[Sears Cook Walker]], who claimed that Kirkwood's Law proved the widely held [[Solar nebula|Solar Nebula Theory]]. The "Law" has since become discredited as new measurements of planetary rotation periods have shown that the pattern doesn't hold.


In 1891, at age 77, he became a lecturer in astronomy at [[Stanford University]]. He died in [[Riverside, California]] in 1895.
In 1891, at age 77, he became a lecturer in astronomy at [[Stanford University]]. He died in [[Riverside, California]], in 1895.


Altogether he wrote 129 publications, including three books. The asteroid 1951 AT was named [[1578 Kirkwood]] in his honor and so was the lunar impact crater [[Kirkwood (crater)|Kirkwood]], as well as Indiana University's [[Kirkwood Observatory]]. He is buried in the Rose Hill Cemetery in [[Bloomington, Indiana]], where Kirkwood Avenue is named for him.
Altogether he wrote 129 publications, including three books. The asteroid {{mp|1951 AT}} was named [[1578&nbsp;Kirkwood]] in his honor and so was the lunar impact crater ''[[Kirkwood (crater)|Kirkwood]]'', as well as Indiana University's [[Kirkwood Observatory]]. He is buried in the Rose Hill Cemetery in [[Bloomington, Indiana]], where Kirkwood Avenue is named for him.


Kirkwood was a cousin of [[Iowa]] governor [[Samuel J. Kirkwood|Samuel Jordan Kirkwood]] who became [[United States Secretary of the Interior]] under President [[James A. Garfield]] and President [[Chester A. Arthur]].<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=5PLAiyNmIxgC&printsec=titlepage&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0#PPA8,M1 Clark, Dan Elbert, ''Samuel Jordan Kirkwood'', Iowa City, Iowa: Iowa State Historical Society, 1917, p. 8.]</ref>
Kirkwood was a cousin of [[Iowa]] governor [[Samuel J. Kirkwood|Samuel Jordan Kirkwood]] who became [[United States Secretary of the Interior]] under President [[James A. Garfield]] and President [[Chester A. Arthur]].<ref>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/samueljordankir00clargoog |last=Clark |first=Dan Elbert |title=Samuel Jordan Kirkwood |location=Iowa City, Iowa |publisher=Iowa State Historical Society |year=1917 |page=[https://archive.org/details/samueljordankir00clargoog/page/n32 8]}}</ref>

==Further reading==
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*[[Frank K. Edmondson]],"Daniel Kirkwood: Dean of American Astronomers," ''[[Mercury (magazine)|Mercury]]'' Magazine (publication of the [[Astronomical Society of the Pacific]]), vol. 29, no. 3 (2000), pp.&nbsp;26–33.
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*J. Donald Fernie 1999, "[http://www.americanscientist.org/issues/pub/1999/9/the-american-kepler The American Kepler]," The New Scientist vol. 87, no. 5, pg. 398.


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}

==See also==
⚫
*[[Frank K. Edmondson]], "Daniel Kirkwood: Dean of American Astronomers," ''[[Mercury (magazine)|Mercury]]'' Magazine (publication of the [[Astronomical Society of the Pacific]]), vol. 29, no. 3 (2000), pp. 26-33.

⚫
*J. Donald Fernie 1999, "[http://www.americanscientist.org/template/AssetDetail/assetid/26603 The American Kepler]," The New Scientist vol. 87, no. 5, pg. 398.


==External links==
==External links==
*{{Gutenberg author |id=41243| name=Daniel Kirkwood}}

*{{Internet Archive author |sname=Daniel Kirkwood}}
*[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=9763389&pt= Find A Grave Profile]
*{{Find a Grave|9763389}}
*[https://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/findingaids/view?brand=general&docId=InU-Ar-VAA2674.xml&doc.view=entire_text "Daniel Kirkwood papers, 1864-1895"] finding aid for the collection at the Indiana University Archives, Bloomington


{{Wikisourcepar|Biography of Daniel Kirkwood}}
{{Wikisourcepar|Biography of Daniel Kirkwood}}
{{University of Delaware presidents}}
{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Kirkwood, Daniel}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kirkwood, Daniel}}
[[Category:1814 births]]
[[Category:1814 births]]
[[Category:1895 deaths]]
[[Category:1895 deaths]]
[[Category:American astronomers]]
[[Category:American planetary scientists]]
[[Category:Planetary scientists]]
[[Category:Washington & Jefferson College faculty]]
[[Category:Washington & Jefferson College faculty]]
[[Category:Indiana University faculty]]
[[Category:Indiana University faculty]]
[[Category:Presidents of the University of Delaware]]
[[Category:People from Harford County, Maryland]]
[[Category:People from Harford County, Maryland]]

[[als:Daniel Kirkwood]]
[[de:Daniel Kirkwood]]
[[es:Daniel Kirkwood]]
[[fa:دانیل کیرکوود]]
[[fr:Daniel Kirkwood]]
[[ja:ダニエル・カークウッド]]
[[sl:Daniel Kirkwood]]
[[sv:Daniel Kirkwood]]
[[uk:Даніел Кірквуд]]
[[zh:丹尼爾·柯克伍德]]

Latest revision as of 02:57, 6 April 2024

For the footballer and chairman of Everton F.C., see Daniel Kirkwood (footballer, born 1867). For the Scottish footballer, see Dan Kirkwood.
Daniel Kirkwood
Daniel Kirkwood
Born(1814-09-27)September 27, 1814
Harford County, Maryland
DiedJune 11, 1895(1895-06-11) (aged 80)
Riverside, California
NationalityAmerican
Alma materYork County Academy, York, PA
Known forDiscovery of the Kirkwood Gaps
Scientific career
Fieldsastronomy, mathematics
InstitutionsUniversity of Delaware
Indiana University
Jefferson College
Stanford University

Daniel Kirkwood (September 27, 1814 – June 11, 1895) was an American astronomer.

Kirkwood was born in Harford County, Maryland, to John and Agnes (née Hope) Kirkwood.[1] He graduated in mathematics from the York County Academy in York, Pennsylvania, in 1838. After teaching there for five years, he became Principal of the Lancaster High School in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and after another five years he moved on to become Principal of the Pottsville Academy in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. In 1851, he was elected as a member to the American Philosophical Society.[2] The same year he became Professor of Mathematics at Delaware College and in 1856 Professor of Mathematics at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, where he stayed until his retirement in 1886, with the exception of two years, 1865–1867, at Jefferson College in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.

Kirkwood's most significant contribution came from his study of asteroid orbits. When arranging the then-growing number of discovered asteroids by their distance from the Sun, he noted several gaps,[3] now named Kirkwood gaps in his honor, and associated these gaps with orbital resonances with the orbit of Jupiter. Further, Kirkwood also suggested a similar dynamic was responsible for Cassini Division in Saturn's rings, as the result of a resonance with one of Saturn's moons. In the same paper, he was the first to correctly posit that the material in meteor showers is cometary debris.

Kirkwood also identified a pattern relating the distances of the planets to their rotation periods, which was called Kirkwood's Law. This discovery earned Kirkwood an international reputation among astronomers; he was dubbed "the American Kepler" by Sears Cook Walker, who claimed that Kirkwood's Law proved the widely held Solar Nebula Theory. The "Law" has since become discredited as new measurements of planetary rotation periods have shown that the pattern doesn't hold.

In 1891, at age 77, he became a lecturer in astronomy at Stanford University. He died in Riverside, California, in 1895.

Altogether he wrote 129 publications, including three books. The asteroid 1951 AT was named 1578 Kirkwood in his honor and so was the lunar impact crater Kirkwood, as well as Indiana University's Kirkwood Observatory. He is buried in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Bloomington, Indiana, where Kirkwood Avenue is named for him.

Kirkwood was a cousin of Iowa governor Samuel Jordan Kirkwood who became United States Secretary of the Interior under President James A. Garfield and President Chester A. Arthur.[4]

Further reading

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References

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  1. ^ Hockey, Thomas (2009). The Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers. Springer Publishing. ISBN 978-0-387-31022-0. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
  2. ^ "APS Member History". search.amphilsoc.org. Retrieved 2021-04-14.
  3. ^ Kirkwood, Daniel (1866). "On the Theory of Meteors" in Proceedings of American Association for the Advancement of Science for 1866, pp.8-14.
  4. ^ Clark, Dan Elbert (1917). Samuel Jordan Kirkwood. Iowa City, Iowa: Iowa State Historical Society. p. 8.
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