Gerard Kuiper



Portrait of Gerard Kuiper
Photograph courtesy of University of Arizona, Deparment of Planetary Sciences

Gerard Kuiper was an American astronomer who lived between 1905-1973. He is considered the father of modern planetary science for his brilliant study of our solar system.

Kuiper developed new techniques of looking at the sky, and discovered a moon of Neptune and Uranus. He also found that Titan had an atmosphere similar to our own.


Gerard Kuiper



Portrait of Gerard Kuiper
Photograph courtesy of University of Arizona, Deparment of Planetary Sciences

Gerard Kuiper was an American astronomer who lived between 1905-1973. He is considered the father of modern planetary science for his brilliant study of our solar system.

Kuiper developed new techniques of looking at the sky, and discovered a moon of Neptune and Uranus. He also found that Titan had an atmosphere similar to our own.

Kuiper suggested that there was a belt of comet-like debris at the edge of our solar system, a theory that was proven true 20 years after his death.


Gerard Kuiper



Portrait of Gerard Kuiper
Photograph courtesy of University of Arizona, Deparment of Planetary Sciences

Gerard Kuiper was an American astronomer who lived between 1905-1973. He is considered the father of modern planetary science for his brilliant study of our solar system.

Kuiper developed a new technique for looking at the sky from high altitude, and discovered Nereid, a moon of Neptune, and Miranda, a moon of Uranus. He also studied the surface of the Earth's moon in preparation for the Apollo missions and found that Titan had an atmosphere similar to our own.

Kuiper suggested that there was a belt of comet-like debris at the edge of our solar system, a theory that was proven true 20 years after his death.



Last modified February 27, 1997 by the Windows Team

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