Astronomical and Other Accomplishments
Todd designed and erected several observatories, including those at Smith College from 1886 to 1888 and at Amherst College from 1903 to 1906. He established Standard Time in Peru in 1907. He was chief astronomer at the Lick Observatory during the transit of Venus in 1882, and created the first known photographs of the transit.
He was a member of the American Astronomical Society, the Philosophical Society of Washington, and the Japan Society. He was fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Society of Natural and Physical Sciences, Cherbourg, France; the Sociedad Geografica de Lima, Peru. In 1896 he was presented, by the Emperor of Japan, with the Imperial Saké Cup for services in the cause of education in Japan.
In addition, Todd was the organizer and leader of a number of important astronomical expeditions:
- The New England expedition to Texas for solar eclipse of July 29, 1878
- The American expedition to Japan for solar eclipse of August 19, 1887
- A U. S. scientific expedition to West Africa in 1889 and 1890
- The Amherst expedition to Japan for the solar eclipse of August 9, 1896
- The Lowell expedition to Tripoli for solar eclipse of May 28, 1900
- The Amherst eclipse expedition to the Dutch East Indies in 1901
- The Lowell Mars expedition to the Andes, 1907
- Expedition to Tripoli for the solar eclipse of August 30, 1905
- Expedition to Russia for solar eclipse of August 21, 1914
- Expedition to Florida for solar eclipse of June 8, 1918
- Expedition to Brazil and Argentina for solar eclipse of May 29, 1919
Todd crater on Phobos (a satellite of Mars) is named after him. In addition, asteroids 511 Davida and 510 Mabella are named after him and his wife.
Read more about this topic: David Peck Todd