Robert B. Leighton; Caltech Physicist, Astronomer

Robert B. Leighton, 77, Caltech physicist and astronomer who designed scientific instruments. A native of Detroit, Leighton spent his entire career as student, postdoctoral research fellow and professor at Caltech. He was also division chairman of physics, mathematics and astronomy from 1970 to 1975. Leighton was perhaps best known for inventing the antennas called “Leighton dishes” in use at the Owens Valley Radio Observatory and the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory on Mauna Kea in Hawaii. In the 1960s, Leighton was team leader at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for several Mariner missions to Mars. His other inventions that improved astronomy included an inexpensive infrared telescope. Revered for his teaching as well as his research and innovative instrument design, Leighton wrote the highly influential textbook “Principles of Modern Physics.” He also edited “The Feynman Lectures in Physics” for printed form and co-authored a set of problems to accompany the lectures. On Sunday in Pasadena.