Baade, Wilhelm Heinrich

Baade, Wilhelm Heinrich (Walter)

(1893–1960) astronomer; born in Westphalia, Germany. From overcast Hamburg and its observatory (1919–31) he leapt at the opportunity to join the Mt. Wilson Observatory (1913–58) and Palomar (1948–58) in the clearer skies of California. His classifications of galaxies and stars doubled estimates of the size and age of the universe.