author
Denison Olmsted
1791–1859
Best remembered for turning the spectacular 1833 Leonid meteor storm into a serious scientific investigation, this American teacher and scientist helped lay the groundwork for modern meteor astronomy. He also wrote widely used textbooks that brought astronomy and natural philosophy to generations of students.
1 Audiobook
About the author
Born in East Hartford, Connecticut, in 1791, Denison Olmsted studied at Yale College and later built his career as a teacher of science. He taught at the University of North Carolina before returning to Yale, where he became a professor of astronomy and natural philosophy.
Olmsted is most often remembered for his work after the great Leonid meteor shower of 1833. By gathering reports from many observers and studying the event carefully, he helped show that meteors were a real astronomical phenomenon rather than just strange weather in the atmosphere. That work earned him a lasting place in the history of meteor science.
Alongside his research, he was also an influential textbook writer. His books on astronomy, natural philosophy, and related subjects were widely used in American education, reflecting his gift for explaining science clearly to students and general readers. He died in 1859.