Albert George Wilson

Who is Albert George Wilson?

Albert George Wilson was an American astronomer.

He was born in Houston, Texas. He received his Ph.D. in mathematics from Caltech in 1947; his thesis title was Axially Symmetric Thermal Stresses in a Semi-Infinite Solid.

In 1949 he accepted a job at Palomar Observatory, and led the Palomar Sky Survey. In 1953 he became assistant director of Lowell Observatory, and served as director from 1954 to 1957. He later worked at Rand Corporation and other private sector positions. In 1962 he became founding editor of the astronomical magazine Icarus. In 1966, he accepted the position of associate director of McDonnell-Douglas Advanced Research Laboratories, which he held from 1966 until 1972. Wilson then became an adjunct professor at USC, teaching courses in philosophy and science until his retirement. After retiring Wilson was assciated with the Institute for Man and Science and the Institute of the Future, lecturing and consulting for both groups.

He discovered a number of asteroids, and also co-discovered the periodic comet 107P/Wilson-Harrington with Robert G. Harrington.