James Gilbert Baker

James Gilbert Baker
James Baker.png
Baker-Nunn camera

James Gilbert Baker (November 11, 1914 – June 29, 2005) was an American astronomer and designer of optics systems.

Contents

Biography

He was born in Louisville, Kentucky to Jesse B. Baker and Hattie M. Stallard, the fourth child of that couple. He attended Louisville duPont Manual High School then majored in mathematics at the University of Louisville. During his time at the university he became interested in astronomy and grinding his own mirrors. In 1931 he helped to form the Louisville Astronomical Society. He graduated with a B.A. in 1935.

He met his future wife, Elizabeth Katherine Breitenstein, while at the university.

Pursuing his interest in astronomy, he studied at the Harvard College Observatory. He earned his M.A. in 1936, gained an appointment as a Junior Fellow of the Harvard Society from 1937 until 1943. It was in 1940 that he developed the Baker-Schmidt telescope, a modification of the schmidt camera. In 1942 he was awarded his Ph.D. in astronomy and astrophysics from Harvard University.

After the start of World War II, he was recruited to be a civilian optical designer for the Army's newly formed aerial reconnaissance branch under Colonel George W. Goddard. He would design wide-angle camera systems and test them in unpressurized compartments during test flights. He also became a consultant for the Perkin Elmer Corporation. Following the war he then became an advisor for the Air Force Photographic Laboratory.

Living in Cambridge, Massachusetts, from 1946 until 1949 he was an associate professor at Harvard University, as well as continuing his research into optics he had pursued during the war. In 1948 he moved to Orinda, California to join the Lick Observatory as a research associate. He returned to Harvard in 1950.

Prior to the launch of the Sputnik I spacecraft, Baker collaborated with Joseph Nunn to build a series of 12 satellite tracking cameras that would be called the Baker-Nunn camera. Dr. Baker designed the optical system for the cameras, which were fabricated by Perkin-Elmer Corporation.

He and Edwin Land were instrumental in persuading President Dwight Eisenhower to have the U-2 spy plane built. Baker also designed the lenses and most of the cameras used on the U-2 spy plane and later the SR-71 Blackbird. In addition, he designed the lenses and cameras used in the Samos satellite program, and a modified version of these optics were later used in the lunar mapping programs.

During the 1960s he designed the folding optics for the Polaroid SX-70 Land Camera. He also designed the Baker Super-Schmidt camera which was used to track meteors. In 1960 he became president of the Optical Society of America.

Baker was the author of many technical papers and he held more than 50 U.S. patents. He was the first person to use a computer for the design of optics[citation needed].

He died in Bedford, New Hampshire at the age of 90, and was survived by his wife Elizabeth, and his three sons, a daughter, and five grandchildren. (His children have also pursued technical careers).[1]

Bibliography

  • J.G. Baker and George Z. Dimitroff, "Telescopes and Accessories", 1945, Blakiston.
  • James G. Baker, "Optical Systems for Astronomical Photography", in Amateur Telescope Making, Book Three. A. G. Ingalls, Editor, Scientific American Press, 1953.
  • J.G. Baker, "The Catadioptric Refractor," Astronomical Journal 59, 1954.
  • J. G. Baker, "Planetary Telescopes", Applied Optics 2.2, 1963.
  • J. G. Baker, "On Improving the Effectiveness of Large Telescopes", IEEE Transactions, vol. AES-5, no. 2, March 1969.

Awards and honors

See also

References

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • James Gilbert Baker — (* 11. November 1914 in Louisville, Kentucky, USA; † 29. Juni 2005 in Bedford, New Hampshire, USA) ist der Entwickler der Baker Nunn Satellitenkamera und anderer optischer Systeme für die Luft und Raumfahrt. Nach einjährigem Dienst im Zweiten… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • James G. Baker — Baker Nunn Kamera James Gilbert Baker (* 11. November 1914 in Louisville, Kentucky, USA; † 29. Juni 2005 in Bedford, New Hampshire, USA) ist der Entwickler der Satellitenkamera Baker Nunn und anderer optischer …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • James Baker (disambiguation) — James Baker, Jim Baker, or Jamie Baker is a name shared by the following persons:Public officials*James Baker (born 1930), was a White House Chief of Staff, Secretary of the Treasury, and Secretary of State under Presidents Ronald Reagan and… …   Wikipedia

  • Baker-Nunn-Kamera — Die B …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Baker (Familienname) — Baker ist ein Familienname. Herkunft und Bedeutung Baker ist die englische Bezeichnung für Bäcker und ein im englischsprachigen Raum häufig vorkommender Name. Bekannte Namensträger Inhaltsverzeichnis A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Baker (surname) — Baker is a common surname and may refer to:*Anita Baker (born 1958), Grammy Award winning American rhythm blues singer songwriter *Augustine Baker (1575–1641), Welsh Benedictine monk and ascetical writer *Benjamin Baker (1840–1907), English… …   Wikipedia

  • Baker — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Sur les autres projets Wikimedia : « Baker », sur le Wiktionnaire (dictionnaire universel) En anglais, baker est le mot désignant le… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • James Hines — …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • James Adams Weston — (* 27. August 1827 in Manchester, New Hampshire; † 8. Mai 1895 ebenda) war ein US amerikanischer Politiker und von 1871 bis 1872 sowie zwischen 1874 und 1875 Gouverneur des Bundesstaates New Hampshire. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Frühe Jahre …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Gilbert Taylor — Prise de vue pour Docteur Folamour (1964) Sterling Hayden et Peter Seller …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”