Harlow Shapley

American astronomer (1885-1972)
Person human Q281170
Harlow Shapley
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Harlow Shapley

Summary

Harlow Shapley is a human[1]. He was born in Nashville[2]. He was born on November 2, 1885[3]. He died in Boulder[4]. He died on October 20, 1972[5]. He worked as an astronomer[6], university teacher[7], and meteorologist[8]. He has Wikipedia articles in 28 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.[9]

Key Facts

  • Harlow Shapley's place of birth was Nashville[2].
  • Harlow Shapley passed away in Boulder[4].
  • Harlow Shapley was born on November 2, 1885[3].
  • Harlow Shapley died on October 20, 1972[5].
  • Harlow Shapley is buried at North Cemetery[10].
  • Harlow Shapley was married to Martha Betz Shapley[11].
  • A child of Harlow Shapley was Mildred Shapley Matthews[12].
  • A child of Harlow Shapley was Willis H. Shapley[13].
  • A child of Harlow Shapley was Alan Horace Shapley[14].
  • A child of Harlow Shapley was Lloyd Shapley[15].
  • A child of Harlow Shapley was Carl Betz Shapley[16].
  • Harlow Shapley held citizenship in United States[17].
  • Harlow Shapley's professions included astronomer[6].
  • Harlow Shapley worked as a university teacher[7].
  • Harlow Shapley worked as a meteorologist[8].
  • Harlow Shapley's field of work was astronomy[18].
  • Harlow Shapley's field of work was climatology[19].
  • Among Harlow Shapley's employers was Harvard University[20].
  • Harlow Shapley was employed by Harvard College Observatory[21].
  • Among Harlow Shapley's employers was Mount Wilson Observatory[22].
  • Harlow Shapley was educated at Princeton University[23].
  • Harlow Shapley's education included a stint at University of Missouri[24].
  • Harlow Shapley's doctoral advisor was Henry Norris Russell[25].
  • A notable student of Harlow Shapley was Q12998[26].
  • Harlow Shapley received the Prix Jules Janssen[27].

Body

Origins and Family

Harlow Shapley's place of birth was Nashville[2]. He was born on November 2, 1885[3].

Education

Educated at Princeton University[23], a private university[28], in United States[29], founded in 1746[30], headquartered in Princeton[31] and University of Missouri[24], a public research university[32], in United States[33], founded in 1839[34]. Harlow Shapley's doctoral advisor was Henry Norris Russell[25]. He studied under Frederick Hanley Seares[35].

Career and Affiliations

Recorded occupations include astronomer[6], university teacher[7], and meteorologist[8]. Fields of work include astronomy[18], a branch of science[36] and climatology[19], an interdisciplinary science[37]. Employers include Harvard University[20], a private university[38], in United States[39], founded in 1636[40], headquartered in Cambridge[41]; Harvard College Observatory[21], an astronomical observatory[42], in United States[43], founded in 1839[44], headquartered in Cambridge[45]; and Mount Wilson Observatory[22], an astronomical observatory[46], in United States[47], founded in 1904[48]. A notable student of Harlow Shapley was Q12998[26]. Doctoral students include Cecilia Helena Payne Gaposchkin[49], Carl Keenan Seyfert[50], and James Cuffey[51].

Recognition

Awards received include Prix Jules Janssen[27], a science award[52], in France[53], founded in 1897[54]; Henry Draper Medal[55], a physics award[56], in United States[57], founded in 1886[58]; Henry Norris Russell Lectureship[59], a science award[60], in United States[61]; Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society[62], a science award[63], in United Kingdom[64], founded in 1824[65]; Bruce Medal[66], an award[67], in United States[68], founded in 1898[69]; and Rumford Prize[70].

Personal Life

Among Harlow Shapley's spouses was Martha Betz Shapley[11]. Children include Mildred Shapley Matthews[12], an astronomer[71], 1915–2016[72], of United States[73], awarded the Masursky Award[74]; Willis H. Shapley[13], 1917–2005[75], of United States[76], awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal[77]; Alan Horace Shapley[14], an astronomer[78], 1919–2006[79], of United States[80], awarded the Fellow of the American Geophysical Union[81]; Lloyd Shapley[15], an economist[82], 1923–2016[83], of United States[84], awarded the Bronze Star Medal[85], specialised in mathematics[86]; and Carl Betz Shapley[16], 1927–2012[87], of United States[88].

Death and Burial

Harlow Shapley died on October 20, 1972[5]. He died in Boulder[4]. Burial took place at North Cemetery[10].

Works and Contributions

Things named for Harlow Shapley include Shapley Supercluster[89], Shapley–Sawyer Concentration Class[90], Shapley 1[91], and Shapley[92].

Why It Matters

Harlow Shapley has Wikipedia articles in 28 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.[9]

He has been cited as an influence by Dorrit Hoffleit[93], an astronomer[94], 1907–2007[95], of United States[96], awarded the George Van Biesbroeck Prize[97], specialised in astronomy[98].

He is credited with the discovery of Fornax Dwarf[99], a dwarf galaxy[100]; Shapley Supercluster[101], a supercluster[102]; Shapley 1[103], an astronomical object[104]; 878 Mildred[105], an asteroid[106]; Sculptor Dwarf Galaxy[107], a dwarf galaxy[108]; and Galactic Center of Milky Way[109], a barycenter[110]. Entities named for him include Shapley Supercluster[89], Shapley–Sawyer Concentration Class[90], Shapley 1[91], and Shapley[92].

His notable doctoral advisees include Carl Keenan Seyfert[111] and Cecilia Helena Payne Gaposchkin[112].

FAQs

Where was Harlow Shapley born?

Harlow Shapley was born in Nashville[2].

Where did Harlow Shapley die?

Harlow Shapley died in Boulder[4].

Who was Harlow Shapley married to?

Harlow Shapley's spouses include Martha Betz Shapley[11].

What did Harlow Shapley do for work?

Harlow Shapley worked as astronomer[6], university teacher[7], and meteorologist[8].

Where did Harlow Shapley go to school?

Harlow Shapley was educated at Princeton University[23] and University of Missouri[24].

What awards did Harlow Shapley receive?

Honors received include Prix Jules Janssen[27], Henry Draper Medal[55], Henry Norris Russell Lectureship[59], and Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society[62].

Who did Harlow Shapley influence?

Harlow Shapley has been cited as an influence by Dorrit Hoffleit[93].

What did Harlow Shapley discover?

Harlow Shapley is credited as discoverer of Fornax Dwarf[99], Shapley Supercluster[101], Shapley 1[103], and 878 Mildred[105].

References

Programmatic citations — every numbered marker resolves to a verifiable graph row below.

Direct Wikidata claims

  1. [2] . Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1969–1978). Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  2. [4] . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
  3. [11] . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
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  10. [23] . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
  11. [24] . MacTutor History of Mathematics archive. wikidata.org.
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  33. [26] . Mathematics Genealogy Project. wikidata.org.
  34. [35] . wikidata.org.

Inverse relationships (entities pointing at this one)

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Class ancestry

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Aggregate / graph-position facts

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📑 Cite this page

Use these citations when quoting this entity in research, articles, AI prompts, or wherever provenance matters. We aggregate Wikidata + Wikipedia + authoritative open-data sources; the stitched, scored, cross-referenced view is what 4ort.xyz contributes.

APA 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph. (2026). Harlow Shapley. Retrieved April 10, 2026, from https://4ort.xyz/entity/harlow-shapley
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Edit History

Rolling log of changes to this entity's Wikidata record. Values shown reflect the current state of each edited property — follow the history link to see the precise diff for any edit.

  1. 28d ago · Printstream · 2026-06-26 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Described by source Salmonsens Konversationsleksikon, Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1969–1978), Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1926–1947) +2
    Student of Frederick Hanley Seares
    Occupation astronomer, university teacher, meteorologist
    Field of work
    + 35 other properties edited (see Wikidata diff for full list)
    "/* wbcreateclaim-create:1| */ [[Property:P14536]]: 381961, #quickstatements; #temporary_batch_1782398664614"
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