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Adrian van Maanen
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Adrian van Maanen

astronomer
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Adrian van Maanen was an American astronomer known for his work on the proper motion of stars. He used photographic plates to measure the tiny shifts in stars' positions over time, contributing to the understanding of stellar movement and the structure of the Milky Way Galaxy. Van Maanen's research was part of a broader effort in astronomy to use photographic techniques for precise measurements, a field significantly advanced by astronomers like Jacobus Cornelius Kapteyn. His work helped lay the groundwork for later studies on stellar distances and galactic structure.1

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2 Britannica Sources
  1. Jacobus Cornelius Kapteyn
  2. parallax

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