Edwin Hubble Biography

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Edwin P. Hubble was a ground-breaking American astronomer who revolutionized our knowledge of the universe and established the foundations for all of modern cosmology. At the beginning of the 20th century, most astronomers thought that our Universe was confined to the Milky Way Galaxy alone. However, Edwin Hubble's inspiration and perseverance in astronomical research proved otherwise. He discovered the existence of other galaxies and created a systematical classification for all galaxies. Additionally, he mathematically confirmed that his newly discovered universe was expanding. Hubble's astronomical triumphs earned him worldwide scientific honors and pioneered our modern cosmology.

Edwin Powell Hubble was born in Marshfield, Missouri on November 20 1889. He was the third of seven children to John P. Hubble, an agent in a fire insurance firm, and Virginia Lee James Hubble, a descendant of the American colonist Miles Standish. Hubble spent his childhood in Missouri, entering grade school in 1895. Then, in 1898, his father, John Hubble transferred to the Chicago office of his firm, and the Hubble family moved to Wheaton, a Chicago suburb. Hubble attended the Wheaton High School and actively excelled in both athletics and academics. He graduated in 1906 at the age of sixteen; two years earlier than most students. For his scholastic success, he was awarded an academic scholarship to the University of Chicago. There, Hubble began studies in mathematics, physics, chemistry and astronomy. Hubble also participated in sports such as basketball and boxing, for which he was awarded a college letter. He graduated in 1910 with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics and astronomy. In that same year, he was presented a Rh...

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...provided the means to measure the universe and advanced the first convincing analysis of new data on the nature of the nebulae; providing knowledge that came directly from the sky rather than by discussion or revelation. Hubble's astonishing milestones were light-years ahead of his time, forever changing our view of the Universe.

References

Danielson, Dennis Richard, Ed. The book of the cosmos : imagining the universe from Heraclitus to Hawking. Cambridge: Perseus Publishing, 2000.

Edwin Hubble. Biography page. 2002. 10, Apr 2004.

http://www.edwinhubble.com/hubble_bio_001.htm

"Edwin Hubble." DISCovering Science. Online Edition. Gale, 2003. Reproduced in Student Resource Center. Detroit: Gale, 2004. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/SRC

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