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Maarten Schmidt

1929 – 2022

Dutch astronomer

Astronomer University teacher
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About Maarten Schmidt

Lived 1929 – 2022 (aged 92). Maarten Schmidt was a Dutch and American astronomer and university teacher, known for Quasar.

Personal life Schmidt married Cornelia Tom in 1955. They met at a party hosted by Oort, and remained married until her death in 2020. Together, they had three daughters: Anne, Elizabeth, and Marijke.

Honors Awards Helen B. Warner Prize (1964) Front cover of Time 11 March 1966 Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1969) Henry Norris Russell Lectureship (1978) Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society (1980) Correspondent of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (1980) James Craig Watson Medal (1991) Member of the American Philosophical Society (2000) Kavli Prize for Astrophysics (2008)

Named after him Asteroid 10430 Martschmidt

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Important facts

Born
28 December 1929, Groningen
Birth century
20th century
Died
17 September 2022, Fresno
Occupation
Astronomer, university teacher
Nationality
Kingdom of the Netherlands, United States
Known for
Quasar
Education
Leiden Observatory, Leiden University
Employers
California Institute of Technology
Awards
Kavli Prize in Astrophysics; Petrie Prize Lecture; Helen B. Warner Prize for Astronomy; Henry Norris Russell Lectureship; Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society; Karl Schwarzschild Medal; Bruce Medal; Rumford Prize; James Craig Watson Medal; Karl G. Jansky Lectureship

People in Maarten Schmidt's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Portrait of Henry Norris Russell
Henry Norris Russell
1877 – 1957
Astronomer
 Portrait of Henry Norris
Henry Norris
1865 – 1934
Politician
 Portrait of Personal
Personal
b. 1963
Computer scientist
 Portrait of James Craig
James Craig
1924 – 2017
Diplomat
 Portrait of Helen
Helen
b. 1938
Dancer
 Portrait of Craig Watson
Craig Watson
b. 1995
Association football player

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Maarten Schmidt's

Portrait of Alfonso Reyes
Alfonso Reyes
1889 – 1959
Poet
 Portrait of Beno Gutenberg
Beno Gutenberg
1889 – 1960
Seismologist
 Portrait of Ernest Marsden
Ernest Marsden
1889 – 1970
Physicist
 Portrait of Paul Karrer
Paul Karrer
1889 – 1971
Chemist
 Portrait of Alexander Bakulev
Alexander Bakulev
1890 – 1967
Surgeon
 Portrait of André-Louis Danjon
André-Louis Danjon
1890 – 1967
Astronomer

Frequently asked questions

Who was Maarten Schmidt?

Dutch astronomer (1929–2022)

When was Maarten Schmidt born?

Maarten Schmidt was born on 28 December 1929 in Groningen.

When did Maarten Schmidt die?

Maarten Schmidt died on 17 September 2022 in Fresno.

What was Maarten Schmidt's occupation?

Maarten Schmidt was an astronomer and university teacher.

What was Maarten Schmidt known for?

Maarten Schmidt was known for Quasar.

What nationality was Maarten Schmidt?

Maarten Schmidt was Dutch and American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Maarten Schmidt

· Wikidata: Q547240

· DBpedia: Maarten Schmidt

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Maarten Schmidt. https://biography.guide/maarten-schmidt/

MLA: "Maarten Schmidt." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/maarten-schmidt/.

Chicago: "Maarten Schmidt." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/maarten-schmidt/.

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