Edward Charles Pickering

Edward Charles Pickering was a prominent American astronomer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, known for his pioneering work in solar physics. He directed the Harvard College Observatory, where he developed advanced methods for studying the Sun. Pickering's research included measuring solar radiation and investigating sunspots, which helped improve our understanding of solar activity and its effects on Earth. He also championed the use of photography in astronomy, leading to the creation of the Harvard Classification Scheme for stars, which organized them by temperature and brightness, greatly influencing modern stellar classification.