Astronomers, Astrophysicists, Astronauts, “B...-”
for the social studies and science classrooms, theme decor.

Walter Baade
Benjamin Banneker
Alan Bean

Guion Bluford
Frank Borman

Walter Baade
b. 3-24-1893; Schrottinghausen, Germany
d. 6-25-1960; Gottingen

Walter Baade worked at observatories the US between 1931-59.

While at Mount Wilson Observatory he was able to take advantage of reduced light pollution due to blackout conditions during World War II, to resolve stars in the center of the Andromeda galaxy for the first time, which led him to define distinct “populations” for stars.

Benjamin Banneker, the Sable Astronomer
b. 11-9-1731; Baltimore Co., MD
d. 10-9-1806

The son and grandson of former slaves, Benjamin Banneker, known as the “Sable Astronomer”, compiled the ephemeris (information table) for annual almanacs published 1792 through 1797, predicting solar and lunar eclipses.

Banneker also provided assistance in the planning of the Federal District, which is now Washington, DC, by making sure the astronomical clock was keeping accurate time.

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Alan Bean
b. 3-15-1932; Wheeler, Texas, raised in Louisiana

Astronaut Alan Bean made his first flight aboard Apollo 12 in 1969, the second manned mission to the Moon with Charles “Pete” Conrad and command module pilot Richard “Dick” Gordon. Bean was the fourth person to walk on the Moon.

Bean's second space flight was as commander on Skylab 3 in 1973, a 59 day mission, which he shared with Jack Lousma and Owen Garriott.

Bean is an accomplished artist.

Guion Bluford
b. 11-22-1942; Philadelphia, PA

Astronaut and engineer Guion Bluford is the first African American in space, participating in four Space Shuttle flights between 1983 and 1992.

FYI ~ Bluford was the second person of African descent in space. The first was Arnaldo Tamayo Mendez of Cuba, as part of the Soviet cosmonaut program, in 1980.

Frank Borman
b. 3-14-1928; Gary, Indiana

Apollo 8 commander Frank Borman, along with James Lovell and William Anders, were the first to fly around the Moon in December, 1968.

The three astronauts were featured as Men of the Year / TIME Magazine Cover, Jan 3, 1969.

Tycho Ottesen Brahe
b. 12-14-1546; Knutstorp Castle, Scania, Denmark
d. 10-24-1601; Prague

Tycho Brahe was a Danish nobelman, astronomer, astrologist and alchemist.

A wealthy man, Brahe built an observatory at Uraniborg where he became the preeminent observational astronomer of pre-telescopic times.

Tycho's assistant for the last two years of life was Johannes Kepler who used Tycho's careful observations to describe the laws of planetary motion.

FYI - Brahe was also assisted by his youngest sister Sophia.

Jocelyn Bell Burnell
b. 7-15-1943; Belfast, Northern Ireland

Astro-physicist Jocelyn Bell Burnell, as a postgraduate student, participated in discovered the first radio pulsars with her thesis advisor Antony Hewish.

She is very active in the Quaker Peace and Social Witness organization promoting and practicing equality, justice, peace, simplicity and truth.

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