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Joseph Ashbrook

1918 – 1980

American astronomer

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About Joseph Ashbrook

Lived 1918 – 1980 (aged 62). Joseph Ashbrook was an American astronomer.

Joseph Ashbrook (April 4, 1918 – August 4, 1980) was an American astronomer.

Biography Ashbrook was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He received a doctorate from Harvard University in 1947 and taught at Yale University from 1946 to 1950, and at Harvard from 1950 to 1953. He started to work at Sky and Telescope in 1953, where he wrote the column "Astronomical Scrapbook" from 1954 to 1980, and remained on its staff until his death; he also edited the magazine from 1964 on.

Ashbrook was one of the first to study Cepheid variables as tools for establishing galactic distances. He was a longtime member of the AAVSO.

He went through old archives of observations from centuries past to determine a highly precise value for the rotation period of Mars —to within a few thousandths of a second.

He co-discovered the periodic comet 47P/Ashbrook-Jackson in 1948. Minor planet 2157 Ashbrook named after him.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
Harvard University
Employers
Harvard University, Yale University

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Joseph Ashbrook's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Joseph Ashbrook?

American astronomer (1918–1980)

When was Joseph Ashbrook born?

Joseph Ashbrook was born on 4 April 1918 in Philadelphia.

When did Joseph Ashbrook die?

Joseph Ashbrook died on 4 August 1980.

What was Joseph Ashbrook's occupation?

Joseph Ashbrook was an astronomer.

What nationality was Joseph Ashbrook?

Joseph Ashbrook was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Joseph Ashbrook

· Wikidata: Q773715

· DBpedia: Joseph Ashbrook

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Joseph Ashbrook. https://biography.guide/joseph-ashbrook/

MLA: "Joseph Ashbrook." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/joseph-ashbrook/.

Chicago: "Joseph Ashbrook." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/joseph-ashbrook/.

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