Anders Celsius Determining the Shape of the Earth"). Celsius' participation in the Lapland expedition won him much respect in Sweden with the government and his peers, and played a key role in generating interest from the Swedish authorities in donating the resources required to construct a new modern observatory in Uppsala. He was successful in the request, and Celsius founded the Uppsala Astronomical Observatory in 1741. The observatory was equipped with instruments purchased during his long voyage abroad, comprising the most modern instrumental technology of the period. In astronomy, Celsius began a series of observations using colored glass plates to record the
David Kennedy (astronomer) David Kennedy (astronomer) David Kennedy (27 April 1864 – 10 March 1936) was born at Lyttelton, New Zealand, the son of an Irish mother and a Scottish father who came to New Zealand from Melbourne in 1863. He became the first New Zealand born priest of the Society of Mary (Marists), a noted astronomer and educator. As a boy he showed a keen interest in both theology and science. Because of his undoubted intelligence and promise he was sent to study at the Marist college at Dundalk, Ireland in 1878. In 1884 he entered the Marist novitiate at Paignton, England,