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Encyclopedia > Astronomer Royal

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 22 June 1675, and the second the Astronomer Royal for Scotland, which dates from 1818. In all the medieval monarchies of western Europe the general system of government sprang from, and centred in, the royal household. ... The adjective sovereign is used to refer to a state of sovereignty. ... June 22 is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 192 days remaining. ... Events January 5 - The Battle of Turckeim August 10 - Building of the Royal Greenwich Observatory began November 11 - Guru Gobind Singh becomes the Tenth Guru of the Sikhs. ... 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. ... 1818 is a common year starting on Thursday. ...


King Charles II, who founded the Royal Observatory Greenwich in 1675 instructed the first Astronomer Royal John Flamsteed, "to apply himself with the most exact care and diligence to the rectifying of 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 of the art of navigation." Charles II (29 May 1630–6 February 1685) was the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 30 January 1649 (de jure) or 29 May 1660 (de facto) until his death. ... Royal Observatory, Greenwich The original site of the Royal Greenwich Observatory (RGO), which was built as a workplace for the Astronomer Royal, was on a hill in Greenwich Park in Greenwich, London, overlooking the River Thames. ... Events January 5 - The Battle of Turckeim August 10 - Building of the Royal Greenwich Observatory began November 11 - Guru Gobind Singh becomes the Tenth Guru of the Sikhs. ... John Flamsteed. ...


From that time until 1972 the Astronomer Royal was Director of the Royal Observatory Greenwich. As Astronomer Royal he receives a stipend of £100 a 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. 1972 was a leap year that started on a Saturday. ... Stipend [Lat. ... In all the medieval monarchies of western Europe the general system of government sprang from, and centred in, the royal household. ... The Lord Chamberlain or Lord Chamberlain of the Household is one of the chief officers of the Royal Household in the United Kingdom, and is to be distinguished from the Lord Great Chamberlain, one of the great offices of state. ... The adjective sovereign is used to refer to a state of sovereignty. ...


There was also formerly an Astronomer Royal for Ireland. An office attached to the directorship of an astronomical observatory at Dunsink, near Dublin. ...


The complete list of Astronomers Royal is given in the table below.

Rev'd John Flamsteed 16751719
Professor Edmond Halley 17201742
Dr James Bradley 17421762
Nathaniel Bliss 17621764
Rev'd Nevil Maskelyne 17651811
John Pond 18111835
Sir George Biddell Airy 18351881
Sir William Christie 18811910
Sir Frank Dyson 19101933
Sir Harold Spencer Jones 19331955
Professor Sir Richard van der Riet Woolley 19561971
Professor Sir Martin Ryle 19721982
Professor Sir Francis Graham-Smith 19821990
Professor Sir Arnold Wolfendale 19911995
Professor Sir Martin Rees 1995

  Results from FactBites:
 
Nevil Maskelyne, Astronomer Royal (3376 words)
Nevil Maskelyne, Fifth Astronomer Royal was grandfather by marriage to B-P's Uncle Sir Warington Wilkinson Smyth, brother of Henrietta Grace Smyth Baden-Powell.
Nevil Maskelyne (1732-1811), astronomer royal, was the third son of Edmund Maskelyne of Purton in Wiltshire, by his wife Elizabeth Booth, and was born in London on 6 Oct. 1732.
Maskelyne succeeded Nathaniel Bliss [q.v.] as astronomer royal on 26 Feb. 1765, and promptly obtained the establishment of the Nautical Almanac.
The Monarchy Today > The Royal Household > Official Royal posts > Astronomer Royal (416 words)
The position of Astronomer Royal is nowadays largely honorary, though he remains available to advise the Sovereign on astronomical and related scientific matters.
The Astronomer Royal receives a stipend of £100 a year and is a member of the Royal Household.
John Flamsteed, the first Astronomer Royal, was responsible for one of the earliest recorded sightings of the planet Uranus, which he mistook for a star.
  More results at FactBites »


 

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