Master of Light

MASTER OF LIGHT

Members of Nicolaus Copernicus University OSA Student Chapter in Museum of Albert Abraham Michelson

http://osa.fizyka.umk.pl

Person completing form/contact : Danka Bukowska [email protected]

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We decided to visit the Museum of Albert Abraham Michelson in Strzelno, Poland. It was very important for us because many people know that Michelson was the great scientist- the first American Nobel Prize Winner in Physics but not everyone knows that he was born in Poland. Even he lived in America in many documents he mentioned that he came from Poland. So we should be proud of it.

The museum was organized by high school physics teacher Tomasz Kardas. He is fascinated by Albert Abraham Michelson and he has collected many information and mementos somehow related to Michelson. It is a very impressive collection.

We spent more than 3 hours in the museum. After that we decided to visit one more city – Kruszwica - to take a voyage on Goplo lake. It was fantastic even if the weather wasn’t quite nice. However the members of our chapter enjoyed it very much.

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PART ONE

ALBERT ABRAHAM MICHELSON

MUSEUM

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Albert Abraham Michelson

Was an American physicist known for his work on the measurement of the Speed of light and especially for the Michelson Morley experiment. In 1907 he received the Nobel Prize in Physics. He became the first American to receive the Nobel Prize in sciences.

Michelson was born in Strzelno, provinz Posen in the Kingdom of Prussia (now POLAND) in 1852. His family emigrated to United States when he was two years old. It happened because it was very hard time for his family. His father was a jew and mother was a catholic. Such a marriage was hardly accepted by the communities of both families, especially if one takes into account the current social situation at the beginning of XX century in the territory of Poland. He grew up in the rough mining towns of Murphy’s Camp, California and Virginia City, Nevada where his father was a merchant. After school Albert wanted to continue education but his parents didn’t have money to pay for academy. Hopefully the Albert’s teacher contacted with President of US Ulysses

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Grant. He arranged for Michelson a special appointment to the U.S. naval Academy. During his four years as a midshipman at the academy Michelson excelled in optics, heat and climatology as well as drawing. He wasn’t interested in military subjects. Two years after graduation he returned to the Academy to become an instructor in physics and chemistry.

In 1879, Michelson was sent to the Nautical Almanac Office, Washington, to work with Simon Newcomb, but in the following year, he obtained leave of absence to continue his studies in Europe. He visited the Universities of Berlin and Heidelberg, and the College de France and École Polytechnique in Paris. He resigned from the Navy and in 1883 returned to America to take an appointment as Professor of Physics in the Case School of Applied Science, Cleveland, Ohio. In 1890 he accepted a similar position at Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts, and in 1892 he became Professor of Physics and the first Head of Department at the new University of Chicago. He rejoined the Navy during World War I, and in 1918 returned to Chicago where in 1925 he was appointed to the first of the Distinguished Service Professorships. Michelson resigned in 1929 to work at the Mount Wilson Observatory,Pasadena.

During his career, Michelson touched on many departments of physics but, perhaps due to a special instinct which he appeared to possess, he excelled in optics. He performed early measurements of the velocity of light with amazing delicacy (precision?) and in 1881 he invented his interferometer for the purpose of discovering the effect of the Earth's motion on the

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observed velocity. In cooperation with Professor E.W. Morley, and using the interferometer, it was shown that light travels at a constant speed in all inertial systems of reference. The instrument also enabled distances to be measured with greater accuracy by means of the length of light-waves. At the request of the International Committee of Weights and Measures, Michelson measured the standard metre in terms of wavelength of cadmium light. He invented the echelon spectroscope and during his wartime service in the Navy he performed research work on devices for naval use - he developed a rangefinder which was adapted as part of U.S. Navy equipment. On his return to civilian life, Michelson became more interested in astronomy and in 1920, using light interference and a highly developed version of his earlier instrument, he measured the diameter of the star Betelgeuse: this was the first determination of the size of a star that could be regarded as accurate.Michelson was married twice. With Edna Stanton they raised one son and three daughter.

In 1907 Michelson had a honor of being the first American to receive a Nobel Prize in Physics for his optical precision instruments and the spectroscopic and metrological investigations carried out with their aid.

Albert Abraham Michelson died in Pasadena, California at the age of 78. Since now all physicists have remembered Michelson and his achievements.

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During the lecture given by Tomasz Kardas- fan of Michelson.

Patient listening of Tomasz Kardas by OSA Members.

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The fragment of laboratory notebook of Michelson.

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The fragment of laboratory notebook of Michelson. Consideration about speed of light.

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The fragment of laboratory notebook of Michelson. The picture of Interferometer.

Someone’s hand on the notebook. The knowledge of Michelson flows to young scientist.

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Albert Abraham Michelson with colleagues.

Albert Abraham Michelson photos collected.

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TITTLE- TATTLES ABOUT MICHELSON:

- His first article was published in Nature. He was a coauthor of the publication about birds. He inserted in there the drawings of the birds made by himself. - During the journey to Sweden to receive Nobel Prize he argued all the time with Rudyard Kipling who was hading to Stokholm on the same purpose . The captain was so frustrated that he wanted to expel them both from the ship. He had no idea of who he dealt with.. - One of the episodes of the television series Bonanza “Look to the stars” was set in and around Virginia City where Michelson lived with his parents. The episode described how the teacher of Michelson helped him to receive appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy. - Michelson Hall (housing the departments of Computer Science and Chemistry) at the US Naval Academy is named after him. - In Mexico the color cartoon about Michelson was published. - In 2007 during the Michelson year many countries edited stamps with Michelson. - There is a song: The ether song about Michelson- you can listen it on the website: http://www.haverford.edu/physics/songs/ether. htm

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PART TWO

K R U S Z W I C A

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Kruszwica is the town nearby Strzelno located by the lake of Goplo. It is the first historical town which organized an effective military force of defense in VIII century. Under the protection of the military bands and their chiefs the fields could safely be cultivated . However Kruszwica is the most popular from The Mouse Tower – presented on previous photo associated with Prince Popiel.

Prince Popiel was a legendary 9th century ruler of West Slavic tribe of Goplans and Polans, the last members of pre-Piast Dynasty. As the legend goes Prince Popiel was a cruel and corrupting ruler who cared only of wine, women and song. Someday he had to run from the city with his wife. They decided to take refuge in a tower near the Goplo lake. As the story goes a throng of mice and rats rushed into the tower, chewed through the walls and devoured Popiel and his wife alive.

Now on the shore of Lake Goplo stands a medieval tower nicknamed the Mouse Tower.