Astronomer Royal

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 second is the Astronomer Royal for Scotland dating from 1834.

John Flamsteed, the first Astronomer Royal

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 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][4]

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, though he remains available to advise the Sovereign on astronomical and related scientific matters, and the office is of great prestige.[5]

There was also formerly a Royal Astronomer of Ireland.

The Astronomer Royal is referenced in H.G. Wells' novel The War of the Worlds and in George Orwell's Down and Out in Paris and London (page 175 of the Penguin edition).

Astronomers Royal

#	Image	Name	Start year	End year	Reference
01		John Flamsteed	1675	1719	[2][5]
02		Edmond Halley	1720	1742	[2][5]
03		James Bradley	1742	1762	[2][5]
04		Nathaniel Bliss	1762	1764	[2][5]
05		Nevil Maskelyne	1765	1811	[2][5]
06		John Pond	1811	1835	[2][5]
07		Sir George Biddell Airy	1835	1881	[4][5]
08		Sir William Christie	1881	1910	[4][5]
09		Sir Frank Dyson	1910	1933	[4][5]
10		Sir Harold Spencer Jones	1933	1955	[4][5]
11		Sir Richard van der Riet Woolley	1956	1971	[4][5]
12		Sir Martin Ryle	1972	1982	[4][5]
13		Sir Francis Graham-Smith	1982	1990	[5]
14		Sir Arnold Wolfendale	1991	1995	[5]
15		Martin Rees, Baron Rees of Ludlow	1995	Incumbent	[5]

References

1. 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.
2. Forbes, Eric G. (1975). Greenwich Observatory, volume 1: Origins and Early History (1675–1835). London: Taylor & Francis. Bibcode:1975gosb.book.....F.
3. 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.
4. Meadows, A. J. (1975). Greenwich Observatory, volume 2: Recent History (1836–1975). London: Taylor & Francis. Bibcode:1975gosb.book.....F.
5. "Astronomer Royal". The British Monarchy. Royal Household. Archived from the original on 2016-03-08. Retrieved 2017-06-23.

External links

• Official website