Bowen, Ira ("Ike") Sprague (1898–1973)
American astronomer who first explained the spectral
lines seen in nebulae. His investigation of the ultraviolet spectra
of highly ionized atoms led to his identification, in 1927, of the mysterious
"nebulium" spectral lines of gaseous nebulae as forbidden
lines of ionized oxygen and nitrogen. As director of the Mount
Wilson Observatory from 1946 to 1948 and of the combined Mount Wilson
and Palomar Observatories from 1948 to 1964, he directed the completion
of the Hale Telescope and the 48-inch
Schmidt telescope and designed many of their instruments, including a novel
spectrograph.
Adapted
in part from the biographical
entry at The Bruce Medalists website
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