Source: [http://www.nasonline.org/programs/awards/henry-draper-medal.html National Academy of Sciences]
| class="wikitable sortable" border="1" style="align:left;" |
| width="2%"|Year
!width="20%" class="unsortable"|Name
!width="77%" class="unsortable"|Rationale
!width="1%" class="unsortable"|Ref |
|---|
| 1886 | {{sortname|Samuel Pierpont|Langley}} | "For numerous investigations of a high order of merit in solar physics, and especially in the domain of radiant energy" | |
| 1888 | {{sortname|Edward Charles|Pickering}} | "For his work in stellar photometry, stellar photography, and stellar spectrum photography" | |
| 1890 | {{sortname|Henry Augustus|Rowland}} | "For his researches on the solar spectrum, as well as for his investigations in astronomical physics" | [{{cite book|date=1894|title=American journal of numismatics, and bulletin of American numismatic and archæological societies|volume=28|page=78|publisher=T.R. Marvin & Son}}] |
| 1893 | {{sortname|Hermann Carl|Vogel}} | "For spectroscopic observations upon the motion of stars in the line of sight, and other kindred researches" | |
| 1899 | {{sortname|James Edward|Keeler}} | "For his researches in spectroscopic astronomy" | [{{cite book|date=1901|title=The Popular Science Monthly|page=90|publisher=Bonnier Corporation|issn=0161-7370}}] |
| 1901 | {{sortname|William|Huggins}} | "For his investigations in astronomical physics" | [{{cite book|date=2005|title=A to Z of scientists in space and astronomy|issue=November 1900 to April 1901|page=[https://archive.org/details/tozofscientistsi00debo/page/174 174]|publisher=Infobase Publishing|isbn=0-8160-4639-5|last1=Todd|first1=Deborah|last2=Angelo|first2=Joseph|url=https://archive.org/details/tozofscientistsi00debo/page/174}}] |
| 1904 | {{sortname|George Ellery|Hale}} | "For investigations of solar phenomena, studies of stellar spectra, editing the Astrophysical Journal, and the direction of the Yerkes Observatory" | [{{cite book|date=2006|title=Modern astronomy: expanding the universe|page=7|publisher=Infobase Publishing|isbn=978-0-8160-5746-7|last=Yount|first=Lisa}}] |
| 1906 | {{sortname|William Wallace|Campbell}} | "For his observations and researches relating to the motions of stars in the line of sight, his improvements in the methods of measuring such motions, his discussions of conclusions to be drawn from them, and the organization of work in this field in the southern hemisphere" | [{{cite book|date=2005|title=A to Z of scientists in space and astronomy|issue=November 1900 to April 1901|page=[https://archive.org/details/tozofscientistsi00debo/page/74 74]|publisher=Infobase Publishing|isbn=0-8160-4639-5|last1=Todd|first1=Deborah|last2=Angelo|first2=Joseph|url=https://archive.org/details/tozofscientistsi00debo/page/74}}] |
| 1910 | {{sortname|Charles Greeley|Abbot}} | "For his researches on the infra-red region of the solar spectrum and his accurate measurements, by improved devices, of the solar 'constant' of radiation" | [{{cite book|date=1913|title=A History of the Half-Century of the National Academy of Sciences 1863-1913|page=98|publisher=Committee on the Preparation of the Semi-Centennial Volume}}] |
| 1913 | {{sortname|Henri-Alexandre|Deslandres}} | "For his researches in solar and stellar physics" | [{{cite book|date=2000|title=The semi-centennial anniversary of the National academy of science|page=70|publisher=United States National Academy of Sciences}}] |
| 1915 | {{sortname|Joel|Stebbins}} | "In recognition of his work on application of the selenium cell to stellar photometry" | [{{cite book|date=2000|title=The Biographical Dictionary of Scientists: Lebedev to Zworykin|url=https://archive.org/details/biographicaldict02port|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/biographicaldict02port/page/876 876]|publisher=Oxford University Press|last=Porter|first=Roy|isbn=978-0-19-521665-3}}] |
| 1916 | {{sortname|Albert Abraham|Michelson}} | "For his numerous and important contributions to spectroscopy and astronomical physics" | [{{cite book|date=1987|title=Nobel prize winners: an H.W. Wilson biographical dictionary|page=[https://archive.org/details/nobelprizewinner0000unse_k3o3/page/700 700]|last=Wilson|first=H.W.|publisher=H.W. Wilson |isbn=978-0-8242-0756-4|url=https://archive.org/details/nobelprizewinner0000unse_k3o3/page/700}}] |
| 1918 | {{sortname|Walter Sydney|Adams}} | "For discovering and developing a method of determining the distances of the stars by means of a spectrograph" | [{{cite book|date=2005|title=A to Z of scientists in space and astronomy|issue=November 1900 to April 1901|page=[https://archive.org/details/tozofscientistsi00debo/page/7 7]|publisher=Infobase Publishing|isbn=0-8160-4639-5|last=Todd|first=Deborah|author2=Angelo, Joseph|url=https://archive.org/details/tozofscientistsi00debo/page/7}}] |
| 1919 | {{sortname|Charles|Fabry}} | "In recognition of his researches in physics and astronomy, chiefly by means of interferometers" | [{{cite book|date=1946|title=Nature: a weekly journal of science|volume=157|page=362|publisher=Nature Publishing Group}}] |
| 1920 | {{sortname|Alfred|Fowler}} | "For his researches in celestial and laboratory spectroscopy, which have led to a valuable increase of our knowledge of sun spots, comets, and the stars—especially of red stars of Secchi's Type III" | [{{cite book|date=1993|title=Pauper & prince: Ritchey, Hale & big American telescopes|page=149|publisher=University of Arizona Press|last=Osterbrock|first=Donald E.|isbn=978-0-8165-1199-0}}] |
| 1921 | {{sortname|Pieter|Zeeman}} | "For his discovery of the so-called Zeeman effect and for its application on magneto-optics" | [{{cite book|date=1943|title=The Knickerbocker: the magazine of the low countries|page=59|publisher=The Atlantic Observer|volume=3|issue=2}}] |
| 1922 | {{sortname|Henry Norris|Russell}} | "For his remarkably valuable contributions to knowledge of the order of stellar evolution" | [{{cite book|date=2005|title=A to Z of scientists in space and astronomy|issue=November 1900 to April 1901|page=[https://archive.org/details/tozofscientistsi00debo/page/249 249]|publisher=Infobase Publishing|isbn=0-8160-4639-5|last=Todd|first=Deborah|author2=Angelo, Joseph|url=https://archive.org/details/tozofscientistsi00debo/page/249}}] |
| 1924 | {{sortname|Arthur Stanley|Eddington}} | "For his contribution to knowledge of physical conditions existing within the stars, and for his constructive interpretation of the Einstein theory of the relativity as applied to astronomical problems" | [{{cite book|date=1956|title=The life of Arthur Stanley Eddington|url=https://archive.org/details/lifeofarthurstan0000doug|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/lifeofarthurstan0000doug/page/127 127]|publisher=Nelson|last=Douglas|first=Allie}}] |
| 1926 | {{sortname|Harlow|Shapley}} | "For his contributions to astronomical science" | [{{cite book|date=2005|title=A to Z of scientists in space and astronomy|issue=November 1900 to April 1901|page=[https://archive.org/details/tozofscientistsi00debo/page/261 261]|publisher=Infobase Publishing|isbn=0-8160-4639-5|last=Todd|first=Deborah|author2=Angelo, Joseph|url=https://archive.org/details/tozofscientistsi00debo/page/261}}] |
| 1928 | {{sortname|William Hammond|Wright}} | "For his researches on nebulae, new stars, and planetary atmospheres" | [{{cite book|date=1928|title=Popular Astronomy|page=380|publisher=Carleton College}}] |
| 1931 | {{sortname|Annie Jump|Cannon}} | "In recognition of her astronomical work, in particular for cataloging the spectra of stars" | [{{cite book|date=2009|title=The Universe|page=170|publisher=The Rosen Publishing Group|last=Gregersen|first=Erik|isbn=978-1-61530-055-6}}] |
| 1932 | {{sortname|Vesto|Slipher}} | "For his spectroscopic researches" | [{{cite book|date=2000|title=Henry Norris Russell: dean of American astronomers|page=297|publisher=Princeton University Press|last=DeVorkin|first=David H.|isbn=978-0-691-04918-2}}] |
| 1934 | {{sortname|John Stanley|Plaskett}} | "For his able and consistent labors in stellar radial velocities, and related studies energetically pursued for nearly 30 years" | [{{cite book|date=1945|title=Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 1945|page=143|publisher=Natural Resources Canada|last=Hodgson|first=J. H.}}] |
| 1936 | {{sortname|Kenneth|Mees}} | "For his fruitful investigations in photographic process which have given emulsions sensitive to red and infrared of the spectrum and made possible great advance in knowledge of this highly important region of the radiant energy of stars" | [{{cite journal|date=1979|title=New Scientist|issue=Dec 20–27|page=956|publisher=Reed Business Information|issn=0262-4079}}] |
| 1940 | {{sortname|Robert W.|Wood}} | "In recognition of his contributions to astronomical physics; more especially his researches on the spectra and chemical composition of gaseous nebulae" | [{{cite book|date=2000|title=The command of light: Rowland's school of physics and the spectrum|page=207|volume=238|publisher=American Philosophical Society|isbn=978-0-87169-238-2}}] |
| 1942 | {{sortname|Ira Sprague|Bowen}} | "In recognition of his contributions to astronomical physics; more especially his pioneer work upon resonance spectra, his use of color filters in astronomical photography, and his development of methods for concentrating to a high degree the light from diffraction gratings in desired orders and regions of the spectrum" | [{{cite book|date=1942|title=Sky and Telescope|page=338|volume=2|publisher=Sky Publishing Corporation}}] |
| 1946 | {{sortname|Paul W.|Merrill}} | "In recognition of his many important contributions to astronomical physics, in particular those relating to his researches in stellar spectroscopy" | [{{cite book|date=1960|title=Year Book|page=53|volume=60|publisher=Carnegie Institution of Washington}}] |
| 1948 | {{sortname|Hans|Bethe}} | "In recognition of his contributions to astronomical physics, more particularly his researches on the generation of energy in the sun and stars" | [{{cite book|date=2007|title=Biographical Dictionary of Great Astronomers|page=25|volume=60|publisher=Sura Books|isbn=978-81-7478-697-5}}] |
| 1949 | {{sortname|Otto|Struve}} | "For his contributions to astronomical physics" | [{{cite book|date=1999|title=Yerkes Observatory, 1892-1950: The Birth, Near Death, and Resurrection of a Scientific Research Institution|page=295|publisher=University of Chicago Press|last=Osterbrock|first=Donald E.|isbn=978-0-226-63946-8}}] |
| 1951 | {{sortname|Bernard|Lyot}} | "For his contributions to solar physics. The coronograph, invented by Lyot, has made possible continuous observation of the inner corona on all clear days at any suitable location" | [{{cite book|date=1952|title=The Australian journal of science|volume=16|page=22|publisher=Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science}}] |
| 1955 | {{sortname|Hendrik C. van de|Hulst}} | "For his pioneer work on the 21 cm radiation of neutral hydrogen" | [{{cite book|date=2000|title=International Who's Who|edition=63|page=[https://archive.org/details/internationalwho0000unse/page/724 724]|publisher=Europa|isbn=978-1-85743-050-9|url=https://archive.org/details/internationalwho0000unse/page/724}}][{{cite book|date=1955|title=News report|volume=8|page=36|publisher=United States National Research Council}}] |
| 1957 | {{sortname|Horace W.|Babcock}} | "For his original and outstanding work leading to the discovery of magnetic fields in stars and also the general magnetic field of the sun" | [{{cite book|date=2001|title=Notable Scientists from 1900 to the Present: A-C|url=https://archive.org/details/notablescientist0005unse/page/97|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/notablescientist0005unse/page/97 97]|publisher=Gale Group|isbn=978-0-7876-1752-3}}] |
| 1961 | {{sortname|Martin|Schwarzschild}} | "For his book Structure and Evolution of the Stars and two papers, "On the Maximum Mass of Stable Stars" and "Evolution of very Massive Stars," which are outstanding contributions in the field of stellar evolution" | [{{cite book|date=1980|title=McGraw-Hill modern scientists and engineers|volume=3|page=[https://archive.org/details/mcgrawhillmodern03biog/page/88 88]|publisher=McGraw-Hill|isbn=978-0-07-045266-4|url=https://archive.org/details/mcgrawhillmodern03biog/page/88}}] |
| 1963 | {{sortname|Richard|Tousey}} | "For his achievements in solar spectroscopy" | [{{cite book|date=1980|title=McGraw-Hill modern scientists and engineers|volume=3|page=[https://archive.org/details/mcgrawhillmodern03biog/page/226 226]|publisher=McGraw-Hill|isbn=978-0-07-045266-4|url=https://archive.org/details/mcgrawhillmodern03biog/page/226}}] |
| 1965 | {{sortname|Martin|Ryle}} | "For the development of a novel radio-telescopic equipment which made it possible to determine accurately positions of the numerous weak radio sources in the sky" | [{{cite book|date=2000|title=Science and its times: understanding the social significance of scientific discovery|url=https://archive.org/details/scienceitstimesu0000unse|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/scienceitstimesu0000unse/page/453 453]|publisher=Gale Group|isbn=978-0-7876-3939-6}}] |
| 1968 | {{sortname|Bengt|Edlén}} | "In recognition of his fruitful researches in astronomical physics, and particularly for his part in the discovery and proof of extremely high temperatures in the sun's corona" | [{{cite book|date=1984|title=International Who's Who|page=377|publisher=International Publications Service|isbn=978-0-905118-86-4}}] |
| 1971 | {{sortname|Subrahmanyan|Chandrasekhar}} | "For his leadership in, and major contributions to, the field of astrophysics" | [{{cite book|date=2005|title=Spice In Science|page=136|publisher=Pustak Mahal|isbn=978-81-223-0900-3|last=Murty|first=K. Krishna}}] |
| 1974 | {{sortname|Lyman|Spitzer}} | "For his vision and distinguished achievements in space astronomy and for his many outstanding contributions to the physics of the plasmas on earth and in the interstellar medium" | [{{cite book|date=2005|title=A to Z of scientists in space and astronomy|issue=November 1900 to April 1901|page=[https://archive.org/details/tozofscientistsi00debo/page/581 581]|publisher=Infobase Publishing|isbn=0-8160-4639-5|last1=Todd|first1=Deborah|last2=Angelo|first2=Joseph|url=https://archive.org/details/tozofscientistsi00debo/page/581}}] |
| 1977 | {{sortname|Arno Allan|Penzias}} and {{sortname|Robert Woodrow|Wilson}} | "For their discovery of the cosmic microwave radiation (a remnant of the very early universe), and their leading role in the discovery of interstellar molecules" | |
| 1980 | {{sortname|William Wilson|Morgan}} | "For his pioneering researches in spectral classification, leading to a new standard of accuracy in our knowledge of the distances of the stars and the structure of our galaxy" | [{{cite book|date=1991|title=International Who's Who|edition=1991-92|page=454|publisher=Europa|isbn=978-0-946653-70-6}}] |
| 1985 | {{sortname|Joseph|Taylor|Joseph Hooton Taylor, Jr.}} | "For his pioneering studies of pulsars, including the fundamental measurements of orbit perturbations by gravitational radiation and other general relativistic effects" | [{{cite book|date=2005|title=Assessment of options for extending the life of the Hubble Space Telescope: final report|page=142|publisher=National Academies Press|isbn=978-0-309-09530-3|last=Lanzerotti|first=Louis J.|author2=National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on the Assessment of Options for Extending the Life of the Hubble Space Telescope}}] |
| 1989 | {{sortname|Riccardo|Giovanelli}} and {{sortname|Martha P.|Haynes}} | "For the first three-dimensional view of some of the remarkable large-scale filamentary structures of our visible universe" | |
| 1993 | {{sortname|Ralph Asher|Alpher}} and {{sortname|Robert|Herman}} | "For their insight and skill in developing a physical model of the evolution of the universe and in predicting the existence of a microwave background radiation years before this radiation was serendipitously discovered; through this work they were participants in one of the major intellectual achievements of the twentieth century" | |
| 1997 | {{sortname|Bohdan|Paczyński}} | "For his epochal contributions toward understanding gamma-ray bursts, the evolution of binary stars, and especially the gravitational lensing and microlensing of light from distant objects" | [{{cite book|date=2001|title=Our universe: the thrill of extragalactic exploration as told by leading experts|url=https://archive.org/details/ouruniverse00alan|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/ouruniverse00alan/page/89 89]|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-78907-3|last=Stern|first=Alan}}][{{cite book|date=1998|title=Colloquium on the Age of the Universe, Dark Matter, and Structure Formation|page=87|publisher=National Academies Press|isbn=978-0-309-06026-4}}] |
| 2001 | {{sortname|R. Paul|Butler}} and {{sortname|Geoffrey|Marcy}} | "For their pioneering investigations of planets orbiting other stars via high-precision radial velocities. They have proved that many other planetary systems exist in the universe" | |
| 2005 | {{sortname|Charles L.|Bennett}} | "For his contribution to the precise determination of the age, composition, and curvature of the universe through his leadership of NASA's WMAP [Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe] cosmic microwave background mission" | [{{cite web|url=http://cosmos.pha.jhu.edu/bennett/bio.html|title=Brief Biography of Charles L. Bennett|publisher=Johns Hopkins University|access-date=2011-05-28}}] |
| 2009 | {{sortname|Neil|Gehrels}} | "For his pioneering contributions to gamma ray astronomy. His leadership of the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory and the Swift Mission has led to new insights into the extreme physics of active galactic nuclei and gamma ray bursts" | |
| 2013 | {{sortname|William J.|Borucki}} | "For his founding concept, unflagging advocacy, and visionary leadership during the development of NASA's Kepler mission, which has uncovered myriad planets and solar systems with unforeseen and surprising properties." | |
| 2017 | {{sortname|Barry C.|Barish}} and Stanley E. Whitcomb | "Honoring Barish and Whitcomb, on behalf of the LIGO collaboration, for their visionary and pivotal leadership roles, scientific guidance, and novel instrument design during the development of LIGO that were crucial for LIGO's discovery of gravitational waves from colliding black holes, thus directly validating Einstein's 100-year-old prediction of gravitational waves and ushering a new field of gravitational wave astronomy." | [{{cite web|title=2017 Henry Draper Medal|url=http://www.nasonline.org/programs/awards/2017/Barish-Whitcomb.html|website=National Academy of Sciences}}] |
| 2021 | {{sortname|Sheperd S.|Doeleman}} and {{sortname|Heino|Falcke}} | "for their vision and their leadership within the EHT collaboration, embracing theory, instrumentation, observation and analysis in combining radio telescopes around the world to image the shadow of the supermassive black hole in the nearby galaxy M87, thereby validating Einstein’s general theory of relativity." | |
| 2025 | {{sortname|Adam K.|Leroy}} | "for his pathbreaking efforts to advance understanding of the interstellar medium." | |
