British Patent

British Patent

History Of English and British Astronomer Royals

As an Englishman with an interest of The Stars, Solar System, English and British History I thought it would be of interest to describe the history of the 'Astronomer Royal' and list the previous holders of this prestigious post.

Astronomer Royal is a senior post in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. There are two officers, the senior being the Astronomer Royal dating from 22nd June 1675; the second is the 'Astronomer Royal for Scotland' dating from 1834.

King Charles II, who founded the Royal Observatory Greenwich in 1675 instructed the first Astronomer Royal John Flamsteed "... forthwith to apply himself with the most exact care and diligence to the rectifying the tables of the motions of the heavens, and the places of the fixed stars, so as to find out the so-much desired longitude of places for the perfecting the art of navigation."

From that time until 1972 the Astronomer Royal was Director of the Royal Observatory Greenwich. As Astronomer Royal he receives a sum of 100 GBP per year and is a member of the Royal Household, under the general authority of the Lord Chamberlain. After the separation of the two offices the position of Astronomer Royal has been largely honorary, though he remains available to advise the Sovereign on astronomical and related scientific matters, and the office is of great prestige.

English Astronomer Royal's

The first Astronomer royal was John Flamsteed who was born in Denby in 1649. Because of ill health, which was to dog his career, he was forced to leave school early and was therefore largely self educated. He started his scientific career under the patronage of William Brouncker, the first president of the Royal Society, having impressed him by computing an almanac of celestial events for 1670.

• 1675-1719 John Flamsteed

• 1720-1742 Edmond Halley

• 1742-1762 James Bradley

• 1762-1764 Nathaniel Bliss

• 1765-1811 Nevil Maskelyne

• 1811-1835 John Ford

• 1835-1881 Sir George Biddell Airy

• 1881-1910 Sir William Christie

• 1910-1933 Sir Frank Dyson

• 1933-1955 Sir Harold Spencer Jones

• 1956-1971 Richard van der Riat Woolley

• 1972-1982 Sir Martin Ryle

• 1982-1990 Sir Francis Graham-Smith

• 1991-1995 Sir Arnold Wolfendale

• 1998-present, Martin Rees, Baron Rees of Ludlow

Irish Astronomer Royal's

The Royal Astronomer of Ireland was a title attached to the Andrews Professorship of astronomy in Trinity College Dublin and the directorship of its astronomical observatory at Dundalk, near Dublin. The eight title-holders included Charles Jasper Joly, Professor Sir Robert Stawell Ball, Professor Sir William Rowan Hamilton, and Professor John Brinkley. The title of Royal Astronomer of Ireland was introduced by Letters Patent of George III in 1792 so John Brinkley was the first Royal Astronomer.

• 1783–1792 Henry Ussher

• 1792–1827 John Brinkley

• 1827–1865 Sir William Rowan Hamilton

• 1865–1874 Franz Friedrich Ernst Brunnow

• 1874–1892 Sir Robert Stawell Ball

• 1892–1897 Arthur Alcock Rambaut

• 1897–1906 Charles Jasper Joly

• 1906–1912 Sir Edmund Taylor Whittaker

• 1912–1921 Henry Crozier Keating Plummer

Scottish Astronomer Royal's

Astronomer Royal for Scotland was originally the title of the director of the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, but since 1995 it has simply been an honorary title.

• 1834–1844 Thomas Henderson

• 1846–1888 Charles Piazzi Smith

• 1889–1905 Ralph Copeland

• 1905–1910 Sir Frank Watson Dyson

• 1910–1937 Ralph Allen Sampson

• 1938–1955 William Michael Herbert Greaves

• 1957–1975 Hermann Bruck

• 1975–1980 Vincent Cartledge Reddish

• 1980–1990 Malcolm Longair

• 1991–1995 vacant

• 1995–present John Campbell Brown

 

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Copyright © 2011 Paul Hussey. All Rights Reserved.

About the Author

My family tree has been traced back to the early Kings of England from the 7th Century AD. I am also a direct descendent of Sir Christopher Wren which has given me an interest in English History which is great fun to research.

I have recently decided to write articles on my favourite subjects: English Sports, English History, English Icons, English Discoveries and English Inventions. At present I have written over 100 articles which I call "An Englishman's Favourite Bits Of England" in various Volumes. Please visit my fun Blogs page http://Bloggs.Resourcez.Com where I have listed all my fun articles to date.

Copyright © 2011 Paul Hussey. All Rights Reserved.

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