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Milton Humason

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description Milton Humason Overview

Milton Humason was a twentieth-century observational astronomer working primarily at Mount Wilson Observatory. He is best known for meticulously measuring galaxy redshifts—a key component in Edwin Hubble’s groundbreaking 1929 discovery that galaxies are receding from Earth and that this recession rate is proportional to distance. His precise data significantly contributed to establishing the expanding universe theory, making him crucial for astronomers and cosmologists studying galactic dynamics and redshift measurements.

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Who was Milton Humason and how did he start his astronomy career?

Milton Humason was an American astronomer who began his career at the Mount Wilson Observatory as a mule driver and janitor. Despite his lack of formal education, he eventually became a highly skilled observer and astronomer.

What was Milton Humason's role in proving the universe is expanding?

Humason was responsible for measuring the redshifts of extremely distant galaxies using the 100-inch Hooker Telescope at Mount Wilson. These measurements provided the essential data for Edwin Hubble's famous 1929 distance-velocity relation.

Did Milton Humason have a formal scientific education?

No, Humason was primarily self-taught and had only an eighth-grade formal education. His remarkable ability to capture clear images of faint galaxies made him an indispensable asset to the observatory.

How did Humason and Hubble work together?

Humason handled the painstaking photographic work and redshift measurements at the telescope, while Hubble focused on calculating the distances to these galaxies. Their collaboration provided the first observational evidence for the expanding universe.