Science & invention
Heber Doust Curtis
1872–1942 · astronomer
Astronomer who argued in the 1920 'Great Debate' that spiral nebulae are other galaxies; he went to school and briefly taught Latin in Detroit, and later ran the University of Michigan's observatories.
- Born
Muskegon, Michigan- Died
Ann Arbor, Michigan
aged 69- Also known as
- Heber D. Curtis
- Detroit years
- 1880s–1894; 1930–1942
- Field
- Science & invention
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
Curtis was born in Muskegon in 1872 and went through the Detroit public schools, where at Detroit High School he showed a gift for languages. At the University of Michigan he studied Latin, Greek and other ancient languages, and in 1893–1894 he came back to teach Latin at his old high school. He then taught classics in California, turned to mathematics and astronomy, and from 1902 worked at Lick Observatory, surveying nebulae. In 1920 he faced Harlow Shapley in the Great Debate on the size of the universe, defending the view, later confirmed, that spiral nebulae are galaxies beyond the Milky Way. After ten years directing Allegheny Observatory he returned to Michigan in 1930 as director of the university's observatories and helped develop the McMath–Hulbert Observatory at Lake Angelus in Oakland County. He died in Ann Arbor in 1942.
Highlights
- Argued for 'island universes' in the 1920 Shapley–Curtis Great Debate
- First to note the jet of the galaxy Messier 87 (1918)
- Taught Latin at Detroit High School, 1893–1894
- Director of the University of Michigan observatories, 1930–1942
- Helped develop the McMath–Hulbert Observatory at Lake Angelus
02 / Their Detroit places
Their Detroit places 2
Where they lived, worked, performed and liked to hang out. Closed and demolished places stay here too, because they are part of the city's history.
Worked here · 1930–1942
Detroit Observatory
The University of Michigan's historic observatory, built in 1854 with money from Detroit donors; Curtis directed the university's observatories from here. Today it is a historic site of the university.
Worked here · 1930s
McMath–Hulbert Observatory
Closed · 1929–1981
Solar observatory at Lake Angelus in Oakland County, founded privately by the McMaths and Judge Henry Hulbert and deeded to the University of Michigan; Curtis helped develop it. The university ran it until 1981; it is now privately owned and used by amateur astronomers.