Bowen, Ira Sprague

Bowen, Ira Sprague

(1898–1973) astronomer; born in Seneca Falls, N.Y. He identified aspects of gaseous nebulae in 1927 while at the California Institute of Technology and continued nebulae research at the Lick Observatory (1938). He directed the Palomar Observatory (1948–64). In retirement, he made instruments such as the 100-inch DuPont telescope at Las Lampas Observatory in Chile.