April 28 in Physics History
Physics history will help you to develop a better understanding of the physics world!
birthdays & deaths
Explore all birthdays & deaths of physicists occurred on this day with their short biography!
physics Events
Know all important discoveries made by physicists & events happened on this day with complete information!
April 28 in Physics History - Births – Physicists born on April 28
Bart J. Bok (26 Apr 1879 - 15 Feb 1959)
He was at the Dutch American astronomy who was the first to investigate the dark clouds of dense gas that was visible against the background of bright nebulae. So, his name remains associated with the “Bok Globules”. Its mass generally ranges from 10 to 50 times the mass of the Sun. After his seven years of observations, he finally released a paper with E.F. Reilly that proposed that these were sites of new star formation. He also worked on the tutorial structure and evolution of the Milky Way Galaxy and he bicycled to Norway to observe the solar eclipse of 1927.
Gene Shoemaker (28 Apr 1928 - 18 Jul 1997)
He was an American planetary geologist who was a major investigator of the Imaging by Unmanned Ranger and server satellites. His effort of promoting intensive geologic training to astronauts made the astronauts able scientific observers on moon landings. Comet P, which collided with Jupiter, was first co-discovered by Shoemaker-Levy in 1994.
Jan H. Oort (28 Apr 1900 - 5 Nov 1992)
He was a Dutch astronomer and physicist who measured the rotation of the Milky Way galaxy. He analyzed the motion of distant stars in 1927, founded the mathematical theory of galactic structure, and found evidence for differential rotation. His Dutch group helped him find the large-scale spiral structure, the galactic center. He proposed the model for the origin of comets which is accepted till date.
Francis Baily (28 Apr 1774 - 30 Aug 1844)
He was an English astronomer who measured the elliptical shape of the earth. After retiring from the job of stockbroker he turned his interest into astronomy. He described the optical effect of “Baily’s Beads” during an annular solar eclipse. This is an arc of bright spots which is briefly seen during a solar eclipse immediately before and after totality. This happens due to the moon’s irregular surface features.
Peter Guthrie Tait (28 Apr 1831 - 4 Jul 1901)
He was a Scottish physicist and mathematician who developed an advanced algebra that gave rise to Victor’s analysis. He also worked on the development of modern mathematical physics.
April 28 in Physics History - Deaths – Physicists died on April 28
J. Willard Gibbs (11 Feb 1839 - 28 Apr 1903)
He was an American mathematical physicist and a chemist who was one of the founders of physical chemistry. He contributed to the field of vector analysis and was awarded Yale University’s first engineering doctorate. His major contribution was in the development of thermodynamic theory. He published two papers in 1873 about the fundamental nature of entropy of a system. His famous “On the Equilibrium of Homogeneous Substances “gave the use of “chemical potential”. He established a graphical method for the analysis of the thermodynamic properties of substances.
Arthur L. Schawlow (5 May 1921 - 28 Apr 1999)
He was an American physicist who worked in developing laser and laser spectroscopy. For this development, he shared the Noble Prize for physics in 1981. He collaborated with Charles Townes in his early career and researched maser principles. He is still thought of as a co-inventor of the Maser even if he didn’t get the share in the Nobel Prize of 1964.
April 28 in Physics History - Events – Physics Events of April 28
Wave Mechanics
Erwin Schrödinger in 1926 coined the term “wave mechanics” in a letter he sent to Albert Einstein. Wave mechanics interprets the behavior of subatomic particles in terms of wave motion.
