History Of English and British Astronomer Royal’s
As an Englishman with an interest from the Stars, Solar System, English and British History I thought it would be of interest to describe the historical past in the ‘Astronomer Royal’ and list the previous holders of this prestigious post.
Astronomer Royal can be a senior post in the Royal Household from the Sovereign in the United Kingdom. You will find two officers, the senior being the Astronomer Royal dating from 22 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 for the rectifying the tables of the motions on the heavens, and the locations from the fixed stars, so as to locate out the so-much desired longitude of locations for the perfecting the art of navigation.”
From that time until 1972 the Astronomer Royal was Director on the Royal Observatory Greenwich. As Astronomer Royal he receives a sum of 100 GBP per year and is really a member from 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 obtainable to advise the Sovereign on astronomical and related scientific matters, plus the office is of good prestige.
English Astronomer Royal’s
The initial Astronomer royal was John Flamsteed who was born in Denby in 1649. Mainly 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 below the patronage of William Brouncker, the 1st president with 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
18ȃ-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 towards Andrews Professorship of astronomy in Trinity College Dublin along with 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
슀–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 from the director on the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, but since it has simply been an honorary title.
1834–18Ȍ Thomas Henderson
1846–1888 Charles Piazzi Smith
싡–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
