Fred Lawrence Whipple

Fred Lawrence Whipple was an influential American astronomer best known for his work on comets. He proposed the "dirty snowball" model, suggesting that comets are composed of ice, dust, and rocky material. This idea helped scientists understand the nature and behavior of comets as they approach the Sun. Whipple also contributed to planetary science and led efforts in developing large telescopes. His research advanced our knowledge of small celestial bodies and their origins in the solar system. Overall, his work significantly shaped modern cometary science and observational astronomy.