Origins & Early Life

Fritz Zwicky (; German: [ˈtsvɪki]; February 14, 1898 – February 8, 1974) was a Swiss astronomer. He worked most of his life at the California Institute of Technology in the United States of America, where he made many important contributions in theoretical and observational astronomy. He was the first to propose supernovas as giant explosions at the end of a star's life, and neutron stars as the remnants left over after supernovas. In 1933, Zwicky proposed that unseen dark matter would explain the much higher mass required to explain velocity dispersion in the Coma Cluster, compared to mass calculated from luminosity data.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Fritz Zwicky was born in Varna, Bulgaria, to a Swiss father (citizenship in Mollis, Glarus) and Czech mother. His father, Fridolin (b. 1868), was a prominent industrialist in the Bulgarian city and also served as Norwegian consul in Varna (1908–1933). Fridolin Zwicky designed and built his family's Zwicky House in Varna. Fritz's mother, Franziska Vrček (b.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

1871), was an ethnic Czech of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Fritz was the oldest of three children: he had a brother named Rudolf and a sister, Leonie. Fritz's mother died in Varna in 1927. His father...

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• 1898 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1898
• February 14 (02-14) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on February 14
• 1974 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1974
• February 8 (02-08) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on February 8