Robert Koch – Observational Astronomy at the University of Pennsylvania 1751 – 2007

By Robert H. Koch

Robert H. Koch 1929 – 2010. We are deeply saddened that Robert H. Koch has passed away. Please click the picture for his obituary.

CONTENTS

• Preface
  • Acknowledgements
  • References
• A Selective Astronomical Primer
• Early Days
  • References
• The Flower Observatory(FO)
  • References
• The Roslyn House Observatory(RHO) of Gustavus Wynne Cook
  • References
• The FCO and the SO
  • References
• Some Afterthoughts
• Name Index
• Subject Index

Author’s Background

I held academic appointments at Amherst and Mt. Holyoke Colleges and the Universities of Massachusetts, New Mexico and Pennsylvania. For essentially all of this time there were grant funds to support my observational research locally, at Kitt Peak, remotely in New Zealand, and in Earth orbit with the International Ultraviolet Explorer spacecraft.

I retired from teaching in 1996, none too soon in the opinion of numerous people. This permitted me to continue astronomical research, mostly on close binary stars; travel to Europe, Central America, Korea, Canada and across the U.S.; admire many species of birds; enjoy varieties of foods; compose a family history that goes back to the end of the 18th century; read; attend the Chicago Lyric Opera repeatedly; and work endlessly on our house and property.

Take an interesting quiz (0.4 MB PDF) by clicking here.

View the entire narrative (Revision B – 8 MB PDF) by clicking here

View the 2009 & 2010 Addenda (361KB PDF) to the narrative by clicking here

Copyright © 2009, 2010 by Robert H. Koch

Other Texts of Scientific and Historical Interest

Stars, Companions, and their Interactions: A Memorial to Robert H. Koch, August 10-12, 2011
Visit the conference web site by clicking here.  View the conference program (1.3 MB PDF) by clicking here.

Geometrical Constraints on the Hot Spot in Beta Lyrae
By Jamie R. Lomax, Jennifer L. Hoffman, Nicholas M. Elias II, Fabienne A. Bastien, and Bruce D. Holenstein
ApJ, 750:59 (13pp), May 1, 2012
View the text (922 KB PDF) by clicking here.

Selected Pictures of Penn Astronomical Instruments
By B. D. Holenstein, R. J. Mitchell, and D. R. Holenstein
View the text (295 KB PDF) by clicking here.

Robert H. Koch’s Work on Lightweight Medium-Aperture Mirrors
By Bruce D. Holenstein and Richard J. Mitchell
JASS, vol.29, no.1, pp.79-84, March, 2012
View the text (3 MB PDF) by clicking here.

The Penn Polarimeters
By Robert H. Koch, George W. Wolf, Anthony B. Hull, Nicholas M. Elias II, Bruce D. Holenstein, and Richard J. Mitchell
JASS, vol.29, no.1, pp.69-77, March, 2012
View the text (2.7 MB PDF) by clicking here.

The Pierce-Blitzstein Photometer – The PBPHOT
By C. Ambruster, T. Hull, R.H. Koch, R. J. Mitchell, R. E. Smith
American Astronomical Society, 213th Meeting in Long Beach, HAD IV: Paper 320.03
View the text (1.3 MB PDF) by clicking here.

Selected Pictures of G. W. Cook’s Instruments
By B. D. Holenstein and R. J. Mitchell
View the text (2.2 MB PDF) by clicking here.

Calibrated Astronomical Photoelastic Modulator Polarimeter at the Flower and Cook Observatory
By W. Blitzstein, R.H. Koch, R.J. Mitchell, B. D. Holenstein and N.M. Elias
View the text (3 MB PDF) by clicking here.

The Pennsylvania Polarimeters
By G. Wolf, T. Hull, N. M. Elias, B. D. Holenstein, and R. J. Mitchell
View the text (0.7 MB PDF) by clicking here.

Robert H. Koch’s Work on Medium Aperture Mirrors
By Bruce D. Holenstein and Richard J. Mitchell
View the text (2 MB PDF) by clicking here.

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