Origins & Early Life

Vesto Melvin Slipher (; November 11, 1875 – November 8, 1969) was an American astronomer who performed the first measurements of radial velocities for galaxies. He was the first to discover that distant galaxies are redshifted, thus providing the first empirical basis for the expansion of the universe. He was also the first to relate these redshifts to velocity. Vesto Melvin Slipher was born in Mulberry, Indiana, to Daniel Clark and Hannah App Slipher.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He spent his early years working on his family farm in Mulberry. Vesto had a younger brother, Earl C. Slipher, who was also an astronomer at Lowell Observatory. Slipher went to high school in Frankfort, Indiana. He then attended Indiana University Bloomington and earned his Bachelor's Degree in Mechanics and Astronomy in June 1901.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Two years later, Slipher earned his Master's Degree in the same program. At the age of 33, Vesto graduated with his Ph.D. in Mechanics and Astronomy from Indiana University. While at school at Indiana University, Slipher formed a personal bond with one of his professors, William Cogshall. Cogshall was one of the main reasons Slipher became interested in astronomy...

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