H o R a c e strongWstrong e l c o m e B a B c o c K 1 9 1 2 — 2 0 0 3.pdf

n a t i o n a l a c a d e m y o f s c i e n c e s H o R a c e W e l c o m e B a B c o c K 1 9 1 2 — 2 0 0 3 A Biographical Memoir by g e o R g e W . p R e s t o n Any opinions expressed in this memoir are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Academy of Sciences. Biographical Memoir Copyright 2007 national aCademy of sCienCes washington , d.C. photograph by mount Wilson and los campanas observatories H o Race W elcome Ba B coc K September 13, 1912−August 29, 2003 B y g e o R g e W. p R e s t o n oraCe babCoCk ’s Career at the mount Wilson and palomar H(later, Hale) observatories spanned more than three decades. during the first 18 years, from 1946 to 1964, he pioneered the measurement of magnetic fields in stars more massive than the sun, produced a famously successful model of the 22-year cycle of solar activity, and invented important instruments and techniques that are employed throughout the world to this day. Upon assuming the directorship of the observatories, he devoted his last 14 years to creating one of the world’s premier astronomical observatories at las campanas in the foothills of the chilean andes. cHildHood and edUcation Horace Babcock was born in pasadena, california, the only child of Harold and mary Babcock. Harold met Horace’s mother, mary Henderson, in Berkeley during his student days at the college of electrical engineering, University of california. after brief appointments as a laboratory assis- tant at the national Bureau of standard