Edwin Forrest Sawyer
Edwin Forrest Sawyer | |
|---|---|
| Born | 16 May 1849 |
| Died | 14 October 1937 (aged 88) |
| Occupations | Banker, Astronomer |
| Years active | 1865-1915 |
Edwin Forrest Sawyer (16 May 1849-14 October 1937) was a 19th-century American amateur astronomer, best known for his observations of meteors. His observations of meteors are some of the most complete, spanning 1877–1915. He worked with Alexander Stewart Herschel, William Frederick Denning and Seth Carlo Chandler.[1]
Sawyer's work mostly focused on meteor showers. Along with William Frederick Denning, he observed the Leonids of 1866–1868. He kept detailed records of the 1872 Andromedids.[2] In 1880, Sawyer published the first study of the July Aquariids.[3]
In 1891, Sawyer made observations of the variable stars 1072 Persei, 2100 Orionis, 4940 Hydrae, 5667 Coronae, 5912 Herculis, 6189 Ophiuchi, 6733 Scuti, and 7120 Cygni.[4] In May 1892, Sawyer published a catalogue of 3,415 southern stars.[5][6] In 1898, Sawyer studied the Leonid meteor shower in greater detail. He noted that the meteors were of a distinctive green color. Also during this study, he saw recorded observations of ten previously known asteroids.[7]
In 1896, he discovered a new variable star in Gemini, with a magnitude changing between 6.8 and 7.6 every eight days.[8]
He retired in 1915, and died on 14 October 1931, at the age of 88.
References
- ^ Taibi, R.J. "Edwin Forrest Sawyer (1849-1937) - 19th century observer, publicist, and mentor".
- ^ Taibi, Richard. "The Early Years of Meteor Observations in the USA".
- ^ Sawyer, Edwin F. "The July Aquariads 1880".
- ^ Sawyer, Edwin F. "OBSERVATIONS OF VARIABLE STARS IN 1891".
- ^ "Before the AAVSO".
- ^ "PUBLICATIONS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES" (PDF).
- ^ Sawyer, Edwin F. "THE LEONID METEOR SHOWER OF 1898,".
- ^ Sawyer, Edwin F. "New Short-Period Variable Star in Gemini".