DAO up until four days before he died in Victoria, British Columbia from complications due to lymphoma contracted during his service in the Navy during the War. He was noted for his work in molecular spectroscopy. Among his contributions was the first estimation of the temperature of interstellar gas (and therefore deep space) as 2.4° K based on the excitation of CN doublet lines, and finding evidence for the carbon-nitrogen nuclear cycle as the energy source for carbon stars. (The temperature estimate was subsequently confirmed with the discovery of the cosmic microwave background radiation, which has a measured temperature of 2.725 °K.) During his career he was the author (or co-author) of 73 scientific publications. Awards and honors M.B.E. for his war service. Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. The DAO 1.2-m telescope was named the McKellar Telescope. The crater McKellar on the Moon is named after him. 7150 McKellar (1929 TD1), a main-belt minor planet, is named for him. Partial bibliography McKellar, A., 1940, "Evidence for the Molecular Origin of Some Hitherto Unidentified Interstellar Lines", Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, Vol. 52, No. 307, p. 187. McKellar, A., 1947, "Intensity Measurements on the Main and Isotopic Carbon Bands in Spectra of the R-Type Stars", Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, Vol. 59, No. 349, p. 186. McKellar, A., 1950, "The C12 to C13 Abundance Ratio in Stellar Atmospheres", Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, Vol. 62, No. 365, p. 110. References C. S. Beals, "Andrew McKellar, 1910-1960", Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Vol. 54, p. 153. "Andrew McKellar (obituary)", Quarterly Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 2, p. 42. External links McKellar, Andrew — Canadian Encyclopedia. 1910 births 1960 deaths 20th-century Canadian astronomers Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada University of Toronto faculty Canadian Members of the Order of the British Empire Presidents of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada