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Regius Professor Of Astronomy, Glasgow
The Regius Chair of Astronomy is a Regius Professorship in the University of Glasgow. Founded in 1760 with the title Practical Astronomy (and with the office of Observer in the University) the title was changed in 1893. History The first holder of the chair was famed Scottish astronomer Alexander Wilson, who put forward the theory that the entire universe rotated around its centre (which was later found to be true for galaxies but not the universe), and discovered that sunspots viewed near the edge of the Sun's visible disk appear depressed below the solar surface, a phenomenon still referred to as the Wilson effect. The Professor was not at this time required to teach. Wilson employed his second son, Patrick, as his assistant and intended successor in 1782, with the approval of the university but not of the Crown. The Crown relented in 1784 and Patrick was appointed to the chair. William Meikleham was then appointed to the chair in 1799, but resigned it in 1803 to become ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
University Of Glasgow
, image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , mottoeng = The Way, The Truth, The Life , established = , type = Public research universityAncient university , endowment = £225.2 million , budget = £809.4 million , rector = Rita Rae, Lady Rae , chancellor = Dame Katherine Grainger , principal = Sir Anton Muscatelli , academic_staff = 4,680 (2020) , administrative_staff = 4,003 , students = () , undergrad = () , postgrad = () , city = Glasgow , country = Scotland, UK , colours = , website = , logo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
President Of The Royal Astronomical Society
The President of the Royal Astronomical Society (prior to 1831 known as President of the Astronomical Society of London) chairs the Council of the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) and its formal meetings. They also liaise with government organisations (including the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the UK Research Councils), similar societies in other countries, and the International Astronomical Union on behalf of the UK astronomy and geophysics communities. Future presidents serve one year as President Elect before succeeding the previous president. The first president was William Herschel in 1821, though he never chaired a meeting. Since then the post has been held by many distinguished astronomers. The post has generally had a term of office of two years, but some holders resigned after one year e.g. due to poor health. Francis Baily and George Airy Sir George Biddell Airy (; 27 July 18012 January 1892) was an English mathematician and astronomer, and the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Professorships At The University Of Glasgow
Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who professes". Professors are usually experts in their field and teachers of the highest rank. In most systems of academic ranks, "professor" as an unqualified title refers only to the most senior academic position, sometimes informally known as "full professor". In some countries and institutions, the word "professor" is also used in titles of lower ranks such as associate professor and assistant professor; this is particularly the case in the United States, where the unqualified word is also used colloquially to refer to associate and assistant professors as well. This usage would be considered incorrect among other academic communities. However, the otherwise unqualified title "Professor" designated with a capital letter nearly always refers to a full professor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Peter Allan Sweet
Peter Alan Sweet (1921–2005) was an English astronomer. He was Regius Professor of Astronomy at the University of Glasgow from 1959 until his retirement in 1982. He was also Dean of the Faculty of Science 1973–1975. Under Sweet's stewardship, the Department of Astronomy grew from 3 to 17 permanent staff. Sweet undertook the building of a new University Observatory located at Acre Road, Glasgow which opened in 1967. The department offices were moved to the top floor of the then new Mathematics Building in University Gardens, within the main University campus. Sweet was educated at Kingsbury County Grammar School and Wrangler 1942 on a Major Open Scholarship in Maths at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. He worked as a Junior Scientific Officer at the Ministry of Aircraft Production from 1942 until the end of the World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William Marshall Smart
William Marshall Smart (9 March 1889, Doune, Perthshire – 17 September 1975, Lancaster) was a 20th-century Scottish astronomer. Life He was born in Doune in Stirlingshire the son of Peter Fernie Smart and his wife, Isabella Marshall Harrower. He was educated at the McLaren High School, in Callander, and graduated MA from the University of Glasgow in 1910 in mathematics and natural philosophy. He went on to graduate with a triple first in the Mathematical Triposes at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he won the Tyson Medal for astronomy. He served in the Royal Navy during World War I as an instructor in navigation ( RN College Greenwich 1915, 1916–19) and then returned to Cambridge University in 1919 as a lecturer in mathematics and astronomer John Couch Adams (1921–1937). With Commander FN Shearme, he wrote the ''Admiralty Manual of Navigation'' (1922). From 1937 to 1959 he was Regius Professor of Astronomy at the University of Glasgow. The first edition of his ''Te ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ludwig Becker (astronomer)
Ludwig Wilhelm Emil Ernst Becker FRSE (1860 – 1947) was Regius Professor of Astronomy at the University of Glasgow from 1893 until 1935 when he retired. Life Born in Wesel, Kingdom of Prussia, Becker was educated at the University of Bonn. After two years as an assistant in the Berlin Observatory, the Earl of Crawford and Balcarres appointed him in 1885 to take charge of his large private observatory at Dunecht, near Aberdeen. When that institution was wound up in the autumn of 1888, the instruments were passed on to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury for a new Royal Observatory. A site on Blackford Hill in Edinburgh was selected in 1889 and Becker was included on the staff. He was appointed to the Glasgow Chair of Astronomy four years later. Ludwig was a popular lecturer at Glasgow and it was claimed that his classes were better attended than those of any other astronomy course in the United Kingdom. His research areas were extensive and he was a master of celestial ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Robert Grant (astronomer)
Robert Grant, FRS (17 June 1814 – 24 October 1892) was a Scottish astronomer. Career He was born on 17 June 1814 at Grantown-on-Spey, Morayshire, where his father was engaged in trade. An illness of six years interrupted his education, and he taught himself, on his recovery at age 19, in Greek, Latin, French, Italian, and mathematics. After some brief study at King's College, Aberdeen, he entered in 1841 his brother's counting-house in London, and there set about collecting materials for a history of astronomy. Grant pursued researches in Paris from 1845 to 1847, earning a livelihood by teaching English while attending Arago's and Leverrier's lectures. His ''History of Physical Astronomy from the Earliest Ages to the Middle of the Nineteenth Century'', partially issued by the Society of Useful Knowledge in 1848-9, appeared in a complete form in March 1852, and earned Grant the award in 1856 of the Royal Astronomical Society's gold medal. He was elected a fellow of the Society ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
James Couper (astronomer)
James Couper (9 August 1752 – 7 August 1836) was a Scottish astronomer. He was Professor of Astronomy at the University of Glasgow from 1803 to 1836. Life Couper was Professor of Astronomy at the University of Glasgow from 1803 to 1836. He also held other positions within the university including: * Dean of Faculties 1800–1801 * Clerk of Senate from 1810 to 1814, 1820 to 1828 * keeper of the Hunterian Museum (a joint position with his sons) He taught very little Astronomy and abandoned observations because of the increasing smoke and new buildings in the surrounding areas of the observatory. He seemed not to have considered building a new observatory outside the town. Couper was a student at the University of Glasgow and graduated Master of Arts in 1775, and Doctor of Divinity in 1800. He became minister of Baldernock Parish Church in 1783 until his appointment to the Regius Chair of Astronomy in 1803. In November 1813 Couper took on responsibility for teaching Hebrew w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William Meikleham (astronomer)
William Meikleham LLD (1771–1846) was Regius Professor of Astronomy at the University of Glasgow from 1799 to 1803. He resigned the Chair of Astronomy to become Professor of Natural Philosophy (Physics) in 1803, a position he held until his death in 1846. Meikleham's first post was Rector of Ayr Academy in 1792. In 1794 he was employed as assistant to the Professor of Natural Philosophy at Glasgow. He conducted his duties so successfully that he continued to take classes after the incumbent Professor's death and during the tenure of his successor. In August 1799, King George III issued a commission to William Meikleham to be Professor of Practical Astronomy and Observer at the University of Glasgow, and on 29 October 1799 he was admitted to office. Professor William Meikleham had none of the fiercely conservative attitudes of others in the University. He proved to be a much more active and dynamic teacher than his colleagues, including his successor in the Chair of Practic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Patrick Wilson (astronomer)
Patrick Wilson FRSE LLD (often Anglicised as Peter Wilson) (1743 – 1811) was a British astronomer, type-founder, mathematician and meteorologist. He was the Regius Professor of Practical Astronomy at Glasgow University from 1784 to 1799. In 1783 he was one of the several joint founders of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Life He was born on 16 January 1743, the son of Alexander Wilson, who preceded him as Regius Professor of Practical Astronomy at Glasgow University. Patrick was appointed his successor in 1784 before his father quit the role. Probably due to the failing health of his father, they shared the role until his father's death in 1786. He was Clerk of the University Senate from 1783 to 1795 and 1796 to 1799, and was awarded an honorary LLD in 1800. He was the second son of Alexander Wilson, the first Regius Professor of Practical Astronomy at the University. In 1782 he was employed as an assistant to his father, to take care of instruments, make observat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National Astronomy Meeting
The National Astronomy Meeting (NAM) is an annual scientific conference of astronomers, usually held in the British Isles. It is sponsored and coordinated by the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), and functions as the primary annual meeting of the society. NAM is one of the largest professional astronomy conferences in Europe, with typically around 600 delegates attending. Each NAM includes a variety of plenary and parallel sessions discussing the latest research in astronomy (and related fields), public lectures, community sessions and a press office to promote the results presented at the meeting to journalists and the public. The meetings began when the RAS decided to hold some of its scientific meetings outside London, where the society is based. Known as the 'out of town' meetings, the first was held in 1948. The meetings ran in most years until 1966, when they were discontinued. The RAS resumed the series in 1976. An expanded format was adopted from 1992 onwards; to reflect t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
