Anders Ångström

Anders Ångström was a Swedish physicist and a founder of spectroscopy. He is best known for having the Ångström unit named after him, which is used to measure wavelengths of light and interatomic spacings in condensed matter.

Physicist

August 13, 1814

Leo

June 21, 1874

59

Medelpad, Sweden

Anders Ångström, born on August 13, 1814, in Lögdö Sweden, was a distinguished physicist and astronomer who significantly contributed to the field of spectroscopy. He is most famous for discovering the spectral lines that underpin spectroscopy and for creating techniques to study the spectra of stars. His most notable work is the atlas, “Researches on the Solar System,” which detailed the wavelengths of over 1000 lines in the solar spectrum, expressed in the Ångström unit (Å), named after him.

Ångström also proved that the sun’s atmosphere consists of gases, earning him the title “The Father of Solar Physics.” He designed and constructed a high-resolution spectroscope for analyzing the spectra of various elements and explored the physics of radiation, particularly the relationship between temperature and emitted radiation.

As a professor of physics at Uppsala University in Sweden, where he obtained his PhD in 1839, Ångström remained committed to research and teaching, gaining the respect and admiration of colleagues and students. In 1872, he received the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society for his contributions to spectroscopy.

The Ångström unit (1 Å = 10 10^-10 m), used in crystallography, spectroscopy, and for describing light wavelengths, is named after him. Additionally, the lunar crater Ångström bears his name. Anders Ångström’s pioneering work in spectroscopy and solar physics continues to be celebrated within the scientific community.