Astronomer Royal
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Astronomer Royal is a senior post in the Royal Households of the United Kingdom. There are two officers, the senior being the astronomer royal dating from 22 June 1675; the junior is the astronomer royal for Scotland dating from 1834.
The post was created by King Charles II in 1675, at the same time as he founded the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. He appointed John Flamsteed, instructing him "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."[1][2][3]
The origin of the title Astronomer Royal is unknown. [4] Although Flamsteed is widely considered the first Astronomer Royal was never appointed with the title and only referred to in the Warrant to Ordinance as "Our Astronomical Observer".[4] Similar language was used to appoint all the Astronomer Royals until 1881 with William Christie's appointment. The term Astronomer Royal did not become commonly used until the late 18th Century while the Royal Warrants continued to use "Our Astronomical Observer"[4]
The astronomer royal was director of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich from the establishment of the post in 1675 until 1972. The astronomer royal became an honorary title in 1972 without executive responsibilities, and a separate post of director of the Royal Greenwich Observatory was created to manage the institution.[3][5]
Astronomers Royal are responsible for many different discoveries and theories. They had several assistants who aided in their research at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. The most important position was the computers or people that would do all the math computations behind the astronomers' observations. Many of these computers were women and they were often left out of articles and books leaving them out of most common history sources.[6]
The astronomer royal today receives a stipend 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, although the holder remains available to advise the Sovereign on astronomical and related scientific matters,[7] and the office is of great prestige.
There was formerly a royal astronomer of Ireland, a post that seemingly ended with Irish independence.
The astronomer royal is mentioned in H. G. Wells' novel The War of the Worlds and in George Orwell's Down and Out in Paris and London.[8] He also makes an appearance in the lyrics of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance[9] and plays an important role in Fred Hoyle's novel The Black Cloud.
Astronomers Royal[edit]
# | Image | Name | Start year | End year | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | John Flamsteed | 1675 | 1719 | [2][7] | |
2. | Edmond Halley | 1720 | 1742 | [2][7] | |
3. | James Bradley | 1742 | 1762 | [2][7] | |
4. | Nathaniel Bliss | 1762 | 1764 | [2][7] | |
5. | Nevil Maskelyne | 1765 | 1811 | [2][7] | |
6. | John Pond | 1811 | 1835 | [2][7] | |
7. | Sir George Biddell Airy | 1835 | 1881 | [5][7] | |
8. | Sir William Christie | 1881 | 1910 | [5][7] | |
9. | Sir Frank Dyson | 1910 | 1933 | [5][7] | |
10. | Sir Harold Spencer Jones | 1933 | 1955 | [5][7] | |
11. | Sir Richard van der Riet Woolley | 1956 | 1971 | [5][7] | |
12. | Sir Martin Ryle | 1972 | 1982 | [5][7] | |
13. | Sir Francis Graham-Smith | 1982 | 1990 | [7] | |
14. | Sir Arnold Wolfendale | 1991 | 1995 | [7] | |
15. | Martin Rees, Baron Rees of Ludlow | 1995 | Incumbent | [7] |
References[edit]
- ^ F Baily, "An Account of the Rev. John Flamsteed", reprinted in vol. 28, at p. 293. "The Museum of foreign literature, science and art", R Walsh et al., publ. E Litell, 1836.
- ^ a b c d e f g Forbes, Eric G. (1975). Greenwich Observatory, volume 1: Origins and Early History (1675–1835). London: Taylor & Francis. Bibcode:1975gosb.book.....F.
- ^ a b McCrea, William Hunter (1975). Royal Greenwich Observatory : an Historical Review Issued on the Occasion of its Tercentenary. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Bibcode:1975rgo..book.....M.
- ^ a b c Lovell, Bernard (1994). "The Royal Society, the Royal Greenwich Observatory and the Astronomer Royal". Notes and Records of the Royal Society of London. 48 (2): 283–297. ISSN 0035-9149.
- ^ a b c d e f g Meadows, A. J. (1975). Greenwich Observatory, volume 2: Recent History (1836–1975). London: Taylor & Francis. Bibcode:1975gosb.book.....F.
- ^ Mullen, Kane (2020). "Temporary Measures: Women Computers at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, 1890–1895". Journal for the History of Astronomy. 51: 88–121. doi:10.1177/0021828620901358.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Astronomer Royal". The British Monarchy. Royal Household. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
- ^ p. 175, Penguin edition
- ^ "The Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert and Sullivan". The Gilbert and Sullivan Archive.