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Swift (LEWIS an American astronomer)

LEWIS, an American astronomer; born in Clarkson, N. Y., Feb. 29, 1820; was graduated at Clarkson Academy in 1838, and spent spent the early part of his life in lecturing. Later he became interested in astronomy, built and set up his own telescope in Rochester, N. Y., and began to make observa- SWIFT SWINBURNE tions. For years he searched the heavens but owing to tides and currents the for comets, and discovered the notable one of 1862. In 1869 he observed a total solar eclipse and secured valuable results. Two years later he found another comet, and in 1877-1879 discovered other comets, for which he was three times awarded the court prize and received a gold medal from the Imperial Academy of Sciences in Vienna. In 1882 he assumed the directorship of the Warner Observatory, and later took charge of the Lowe Observatory. He was the author of "Simple Lessons in Astronomy" (1888). He died in 1913.