Yrjö Väisälä, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

Yrjö Väisälä

Finnish astronomer and physicist

Date of Birth: 06-Sep-1891

Place of Birth: Kontiolahti, Eastern Finland Regional State Administrative Agency, Finland

Date of Death: 21-Jul-1971

Profession: astronomer, physicist, Esperantist, university teacher, meteorologist

Nationality: Finland

Zodiac Sign: Virgo

Yrjö Väisälä ['yrjø '?æisælæ] (listen) (6 September 1891 in Utra, Kontiolahti, Grand Duchy of Finland – 21 July 1971 in Rymättylä, Finland) was a Finnish astronomer and physicist.His main contributions were in the field of optics, but he was also very active in geodetics, astronomy and optical metrology.
He had even an affectionate nickname of Wizard of Tuorla (Observatory/Optics laboratory), and there is a book with the same title in Finnish describing his works.
His discoveries include 128 minor planets and 3 comets.His brothers were mathematician Kalle Väisälä (1893–1968) and meteorologist Vilho Väisälä (1889–1969).
His daughter Marja Väisälä (1916–2011) was also an astronomer and discoverer of minor planets. Väisälä was also a fervent supporter of Esperanto, presiding the Internacia Scienca Asocio Esperantista ("International Association of Esperanto Scientists") in 1968.