Benjamin Peirce

Benjamin Peirce ( born April 4, 1809 in Salem, Massachusetts, † October 6, 1880 in Cambridge, Massachusetts), father of the philosopher Charles S. Peirce, was an American astronomer, mathematician and teacher, who calculated the perturbations of the planets Uranus and Neptune.

Life and work

Peirce in 1833 professor of mathematics and natural philosophy at Harvard University, in 1842, in addition professor of astronomy; he has kept until the end of life both functions. 1867 Peirce was also head of the Coast Survey of the United States.

Peirce was primarily responsible for the introduction of mathematics in American research institutions. So he was the first who offered in the United States mathematics courses at the doctoral level. He was known for his contributions in the fields of analytical mechanics and linear algebra. In addition, he played a role in the discovery of Neptune by his early work in astronomy.

The lunar crater Peirce and the asteroid ( 29463 ) Benjaminpeirce are named after him.