Dick Walker (astronomer)

Dick Walker (born Richard McDowel Walker, 1943, died 2021) was a British astronomer known for his contributions to the study of RR Lyrae variable stars and globular clusters. He earned his Ph.D. from the Royal Greenwich Observatory in 1973 and spent much of his career at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory (DAO) in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

Walker's research focused on the identification and characterization of RR Lyrae stars within globular clusters, utilizing their period-luminosity relationship to determine cluster distances and ages. He made significant contributions to understanding the stellar populations and formation histories of these ancient star systems. His work involved meticulous photometric observations, often using telescopes at observatories around the world.

Beyond RR Lyrae stars, Walker also studied other types of variable stars and contributed to general photometric and spectroscopic surveys of globular clusters. He published extensively in peer-reviewed journals throughout his career and remained an active researcher until his retirement from the DAO. His publications are frequently cited in the astronomical literature.