About Walter Frederick Gale
Lived 1865 – 1945 (aged 79). Walter Frederick Gale was an Australian astronomer.
Walter Frederick Gale (27 November 1865 – 1 June 1945) was an Australian banker. Gale was born in Paddington, Sydney, New South Wales. He had a strong interest in astronomy and built his first telescope in 1884.
He discovered a total of three comets, including the lost periodic comet 34D/Gale, C/1894 G1 and C/1912 R1. He also discovered five southern double stars with the prefix GLE, and several dark sky objects, including the planetary nebula, IC 5148 in Grus. In 1892, he described oases and canals on Mars. He was awarded the Jackson-Gwilt Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1935 for "discoveries of comets and his work for astronomy in New South Wales."
A crater on Mars, Gale, was named in his honour. It was selected as the August 6, 2012, landing site for the Curiosity rover.
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Walter Frederick Gale?
Australian astronomer and banker (1865-1945)
When was Walter Frederick Gale born?
Walter Frederick Gale was born on 27 November 1865 in Paddington.
When did Walter Frederick Gale die?
Walter Frederick Gale died on 1 June 1945 in Waverley.
What was Walter Frederick Gale's occupation?
Walter Frederick Gale was an astronomer.
What nationality was Walter Frederick Gale?
Walter Frederick Gale was Australian.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Walter Frederick Gale
· DBpedia: Walter Frederick Gale
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Walter Frederick Gale. https://biography.guide/walter-frederick-gale/
MLA: "Walter Frederick Gale." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/walter-frederick-gale/.
Chicago: "Walter Frederick Gale." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/walter-frederick-gale/.
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