Frank Washington Very (February 12, 1852 – November 23, 1927)^[1] was a U.S. astronomer, astrophysicist, and meteorologist.^[2] He was born at Salem, Massachusetts, and educated at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1873) where he taught physics after his graduation.^[2]

He worked at the Allegheny Observatory from 1878 until 1895.^[3] In 1890 he became a professor and chair of astronomy at Western University of Pittsburgh.^[2] He then was professor and acting director of the Ladd Observatory at Brown University from 1896 to 1897.^[4] He worked as an independent researcher^[4] until 1906 when he was appointed director of the Westwood Astrophysical Observatory.^[1]

His most important work was in measuring the temperature of the surfaces of the Moon and other planets using a bolometer. Samuel Pierpont Langley published in 1890 a widely read paper on the Moon observations, but for unknown reasons omitted Very's name from the list of authors. In 1891, Very published his own paper about the "Distribution of the Moon's Heat," which also included measurements taken during a lunar eclipse.

Infrared observations by Langley and Very, published in 1890, were used to make the first calculations of the greenhouse effect.^[5]

Very crater on Mars^[6] and Very crater on the Moon^[7] are named in his honor.

Published works

• Langley, S.P.; Very, F.W. (1889). The temperature of the moon. (From studies at the allegheny observatory.). Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences. Vol. IV. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office. Bibcode:1889tmfs.book.....L. Retrieved 2 December 2019.

• Very, Frank W. (1891). Prize Essay On the Distribution of the Moon's Heat and its Variation with the Phase. Dordrecht: Springer. doi:10.1007/978-94-017-6042-3. hdl:2027/hvd.hnww3e. ISBN 978-94-017-6042-3.

• Very, Frank W. (1900). Atmospheric Radiation: A Research Conducted at the Allegheny Observatory and at Providence, R.I. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office.

• Very, Frank W. (1919). The Luminiferous Ether: (I) Its Relation to the Electron and to a Universal Interstellar Medium; (II) Its Relation to the Atom. Boston: Four Seas Company.

References

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Colby, F.; Williams, T., eds. (1928). "Very, Frank Washington". New International Encyclopedia. Vol. XXIII (Second ed.). New York: Dodd, Mead. p. 118. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Check date values in: |year= / |date= mismatch (help)

External links

• Discussion of Langley's 1890 publication