author
Donald H. (Donald Howard) Menzel
1901–1976
A pioneering American astronomer, he helped bring modern physics into the study of stars, the Sun, and nebulae. His work also reached a wide public through books that explained astronomy in clear, accessible language.
1 Audiobook
The World of Flying Saucers: A Scientific Examination of a Major Myth of the Space Age
by Donald H. (Donald Howard) Menzel, Lyle Gifford Boyd
About the author
Born in Florence, Colorado, in 1901, Donald H. Menzel became one of the early American leaders in theoretical astrophysics. He studied at the University of Denver and Princeton, later taught astronomy at Harvard, and served as director of the Harvard College Observatory from 1952 to 1966.
Menzel is especially remembered for applying quantum mechanics to astronomical spectroscopy and for important research on the solar chromosphere, gaseous nebulae, stellar chemistry, and the atmosphere of Mars. Colleagues at the National Academy of Sciences described him as one of the first practitioners of theoretical astrophysics in the United States.
Alongside his research, he wrote and edited books for general readers as well as specialists, helping generations of readers connect with astronomy. His career linked careful scientific work with a gift for explanation, making him an influential figure in twentieth-century American astronomy.