Abstract
In 1904 Kapteyn produced a new derivation of the density of stars as a function of distance from the Sun. The possibility of extinction of starlight by dust, which was vital for making a correct model of the distribution of stars in space, was recognized early. If it existed, it could mean that the Sun was in a preferred position in space, which Kapteyn found difficult to accept. Part of a possible extinction would be the result of scattering of the starlight by ‘meteoric’ material, and part absorption by gas. Kapteyn deduced that the scattering by the meteoric material would affect blue light most and the extinction would then result in an increasing reddening of starlight with distance. He indeed found evidence for such reddening and therefore extinction of light in space. However, Shapley’s conclusion that there is no reddening towards globular clusters was seen as an important and convincing proof for an almost completely transparent space. In 1911 Kapteyn and his Laboratory finally moved into their permanent housing.
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Notes
- 1.
1De Volson Wood, American civil engineer: Faith in the integrity of the interstellar medium [2].
- 2.
Anthony Liccione is an American poet.
- 3.
This looks like and indeed is an acronym, which stood for Global Astrometric Interferometer for Astrophysics, but the design changed and this full name is no longer appropriate and not used anymore.
- 4.
This is a misnomer; it really is a ‘three-color diagram’ or the ‘two-color index diagram’.
- 5.
Het groenenversch is een eerstvereischte/ voor groenen, zo merk ik/ Het is dus zeker wel het wijste/ dat ik mij naar die gewoonte schik.
- 6.
Le sage ne rit pas, il sourit.
Chapter 11. Extinction
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van der Kruit, P.C. (2015). Extinction. In: Jacobus Cornelius Kapteyn. Astrophysics and Space Science Library, vol 416. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-10876-6_11
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