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2 unusual facts about Ralph Copeland


Ralph Copeland

Copeland discovered thirty-five NGC objects, most of them with Lord Rosse's 72" reflector. Planetary nebulae were found by visual spectroscopy at Dun Echt and during an Andes expedition. Seven of the galaxies in the constellation Leo form the famous "Copeland Septet": NGC 3745, 3746, 3748, 3750, 3751, 3753, and 3754.

Mount Copeland, in the Monashee Mountains to the northwest of Revelstoke, British Columbia, was named for him in 1939, as was Copeland Ridge (which Mount Copeland is the summit of) and nearby Copeland Creek.


Mount Copeland

It was named in 1939, along with Copeland Creek (aka Wildgoose Creek) and Copeland Ridge, of which it is the summit, for Ralph Copeland (1837-1905), an English astronomer and the third Astronomer Royal for Scotland.


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