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Alexander William Bickerton: New Zealand’s First Astrophysicist?

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The Emergence of Astrophysics in Asia

Part of the book series: Historical & Cultural Astronomy ((HCA))

Abstract

Alexander Bickerton (1842–1929) is of interest to the student of New Zealand astronomical history in several ways. He was the first Professor at Canterbury University College, and had a significant effect on the early development of the University; he was a prominent and successful teacher, Ernest Rutherford being his most famous student; he was a social activist in Victorian Christchurch, eventually establishing a small commune; and he was the originator of the stellar collision theory of novae and other astronomical phenomena.

This chapter, which is a slightly revised version of Gilmore (Southern Stars, 29, 87–108, 1982), provides a summary of Bickerton’s life and theories, and a bibliography for further reading.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    For the molecules to attain the velocity distribution appropriate to a high temperature, a very large number of collisions of each molecule with others is necessary. In this case, all molecules will expand together, with faster molecules undergoing more collisions rather than escaping preferentially. Bickerton’s conclusion is therefore inconsistent with his assumptions.

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Acknowledgements

I am grateful to Dr. John Campbell (University of Canterbury), Professor Wayne Orchiston (National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand), and Joanna Szczepanski and Nicolas Boigelot (Canterbury Museum) for their assistance, and to Canterbury Museum for supplying Fig. 21.1.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0HA, UK

    Gerard F. Gilmore

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  1. Gerard F. Gilmore
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Correspondence to Gerard F. Gilmore .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Oriental Studies, Daito-Bunka University, Itabashi, Tokyo, Japan

    Tsuko Nakamura

  2. National Astronomical Research, Institute of Thailand, Chiang Mai, Thailand

    Wayne Orchiston

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Gilmore, G.F. (2017). Alexander William Bickerton: New Zealand’s First Astrophysicist?. In: Nakamura, T., Orchiston, W. (eds) The Emergence of Astrophysics in Asia. Historical & Cultural Astronomy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62082-4_21

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