Sebastian von Hoerner
From 1962 until 1983, Sebastian von Hoerner was a researcher in Green Bank, West Virginia. Born in Gorlitz, Germany in 1919, von Hoerner studied theoretical physics before coming the NRAO to study star formation and cosmology. He developed mathematical definitions of how large dish telescopes deform under weight and movement, a concept called homology that is still used today. Von Hoerner was friends with Frank Drake during Project Ozma, the first search for extraterrestrial intelligence, and he became a avid SETI supporter. He was a popularizer of astronomy in Germany.
Credit: NRAO/AUI/NSF
