RECOMMEND
 ADD COMMENT  READ COMMENTS (0)  PRINT  EMAIL  SHARE  THE CANADIAN ENCYCLOPEDIA
0 people recommend this
Sidney Van den Bergh, astronomer, cosmologist (b at Wassenaar, Netherlands 20 May 1929). After completing studies at Princeton University (1950), Ohio State University (1952) and the University of Göttingen (1956), Van den Bergh assumed a faculty position at Ohio State University (1956-58) before moving to Toronto (1958).

At the David Dunlap Observatory, University of Toronto, he played a key role in expanding the facilities, developing computer techniques, multicolour photometry and other innovations. Although he has contributed to lunar studies and studies of other aspects of our own solar system, his real forte is with extragalactic studies on which he has published original findings and major reviews on nebulae, star clusters, variable stars, supernovae and recently a revision to the perceived age of the universe (see COSMOLOGY).

In 1977 he was appointed director of the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, Victoria, taking office in 1978 and remaining as principal research officer since retiring as director in 1986. Since 1982 he has also served as president and chairman of the board of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Corporation in Hawaii. In March 1986 he and fellow astronomer C.J. Pritchet obtained remarkable images of some of the jets of Halley's Comet. A COMET he discovered in 1974 bears his name. He received the first National Research Council President's Science Medal (1988); has received 3 other prestigious astronomical and scientific awards; and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada (1994).


Astronomers
Members of the U of T astronomy department in 1962 with the David Dunlap Observatory in the background: from left to right, S. Van den Bergh, Helen Hogg, D.A. MacRae, Ruth Northcott, J.D. Fernie and J.F. Head (director).

Author MARTIN K. MCNICHOLL


Links to Other Sites
SkyNews
The website for "SkyNews," Canada's magazine of astronomy and stargazing. Feature items include the Astronomy Newswire, Observer's Guide, Photo of the Week, product reviews, a listing of Canadian astronomy clubs, and much more.

Sidney van den Bergh
A profile of astronomer Sidney van den Bergh from science.ca.

An Astronomical Life
Sidney Van den Bergh recounts and reflects upon his career in astronomy. From the website for the National Research Council.

Feature Articles
David Thompson: The Greatest Geographer the World has Known
David Thompson was an outsider, struggling to find a foothold in the empire that had consumed his country...
MOST READ ARTICLES
Trudeau, Pierre Elliott
Pierre Elliott Trudeau, politician, writer, constitutional lawyer, prime minister of Canada 1968-79 and 1980-84 (b at ...
Great Depression
Few countries were affected as severely as Canada by the worldwide Depression of the 1930s. It is estimated that ...
Riel, Louis
Louis Riel, Métis leader, founder of Manitoba, central figure in the NORTH-WEST REBELLION (b at Red River ...
MOST RECOMMENDED ARTICLES
Great Depression
Few countries were affected as severely as Canada by the worldwide Depression of the 1930s. It is estimated that ...
Evangelical Christian Church in Canada (Disciples of Christ)
Evangelical Christian Church, often called the Christian Church (Christian Disciples), is a denomination stemming from ...
Group of Seven
The Group of Seven was founded in 1920 as an organization of self-proclaimed modern artists. The original members - ...
MOST COMMENTED ON ARTICLES
Sears Canada Inc
Sears Canada Inc, headquartered in Toronto, is a Canadian retailer incorporated in 1952. In 1953 operating under the ...
Ware, John
John Ware, "Nigger John," horseman, rancher (b near Georgetown, SC 1845; d near Brooks, Alta 11 Sept 1905). ...
Land Claims
Land claims are dealt with by a process established by the federal government to enable INDIANS, INUIT and ...
newsletter subscription
* E-mail:
join us on facebook twitter
WIRE BLOG
Survival Kit
by ANNE SEIGNOT
WIRE BLOG
Love Stories
by JENNIFER GIVOGUE
ARTICLE
Pierre Trudeau: Politics and Personality
by WILLIAM CHRISTIAN
ARTICLE
How to Reverse the Decline of Parliament
by NELSON WISEMAN
WIRE BLOG
Prorogation Protest
by WILLIAM CHRISTIAN
INSIDE TCE
Gallery
Browse the rich visual resources of The Canadian Encyclopedia through thematic galleries of Canadian Art, History, Nature, People, and Science and Technology.
Interactive Resources
Illustrations, lively text, animations, sounds and games help make learning about Canadian history, art, geography, architecture and other topics entertaining as well as informative.
Canucklehead
The ultimate test of your knowledge of Canada, trivial and otherwise. You can choose from more than 60 dynamic quizzes with visual or text clues. Your scores depend on the speed with which you answer and the number of clues you need. Results are sent to you by email and high scores are posted on the site.
Timeline
This unique resource includes more than 6000 events from Canadian and world history. It can be searched by era, subject, keyword or date. To find out what happened on your birthday, select the month and day of your birth.
100 Greatest Events
This selection of the 100 "greatest" events in Canadian history was made by editor in chief James H. Marsh to draw attention to events that have left an indelible memory in the minds of later generations.
THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MUSIC IN CANADA
Jolliet, Louis
Louis Jolliet. Explorer, hydrographer, fur trader, organist, teacher, b in or near Quebec City, baptized Quebec 21 Sep 1645, d on a St Lawrence island, probably one of the Mingan Islands, between 4 May and 18 Oct 1700. Though ...


Who's Who at TCE    |    Our Partners The Canadian Encyclopedia © 2010 Historica-Dominion Copyright Information