Frederick James Hargreaves (10 February 1891 – 4 September 1970) was a British
astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses their studies on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. They observe astronomical objects such as stars, planets, moons, comets and galaxies – in either ...
and
optician.
He was considered the foremost optician in Britain, and was noted for his skill in mirror making and other optics for astronomical
telescope
A telescope is a device used to observe distant objects by their emission, absorption, or reflection of electromagnetic radiation. Originally meaning only an optical instrument using lenses, curved mirrors, or a combination of both to observ ...
s. He also made a series of observations and drawings of the turbulence in the belts and zones of
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest in the Solar System. It is a gas giant with a mass more than two and a half times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined, but slightly less than one-thousandth t ...
's atmosphere.
He served as president of the
British Astronomical Association
The British Astronomical Association (BAA) was formed in 1890 as a national body to support the UK's amateur astronomers.
Throughout its history, the BAA has encouraged observers to make scientifically valuable observations, often in collaborati ...
(1942-1944).
He partnered to create the firm Cox Hargreaves and Thompson, with first premises under the embankment of the mainline station near Preston Park, Brighton, Sussex. Later, moving to the much better environment for really accurate grinding and surface continuity at the large tunnel layout (Deep Level Air Raid Shelter No. 4), in the grounds of Cane Hill Asylum, Coulsdon, Surrey, from 1952-1970. Cut deep into a chalk hill, these brick-lined tunnels had an all-year round constant temperature and absolutely no vibration. Mirrors tested at point of manufacture and later using modern testing equipment have shown Hargreaves' hand-cut mirrors to be accurate to an average of 3 wavelengths of sodium light.
Hargreaves trained telescope-maker Norman Fisher (1936-1994) in mirror making at the Cane Hill tunnels. The Norman Fisher Observatory is sited at Kenley, Surrey.
Awards and honors
* Awarded the
Jackson-Gwilt Medal
The Jackson-Gwilt Medal is an award that has been issued by the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) since 1897. The original criteria were for the invention, improvement, or development of astronomical instrumentation or techniques; for achievement ...
in 1938.
* The crater
Hargreaves on the
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...
is named after him.
See also
*
List of astronomical instrument makers
The following is a list of astronomical instrument makers, along with lifespan and country of work, if available.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V ...
Bibliography
* ''The size of the universe'', 1948, Penguin Books.
* ''A Description of a Reflecting Telescope with Unusual Features'', Quarterly Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society, 3 (March 1962) 25-30.
* ''A Home-made Equatorial'', The Observatory, 49 (Oct. 1926) 299-302.
* ''The Northumberland Telescope at Cambridge Observatory'', The Observatory 60 (Dec. 1937) 322-325.
*''Obituary'
QJRAS 12 (1971), p.336*''Obituary'
JBAA 82 (1971), p.43
1891 births
1970 deaths
20th-century British astronomers
Optical engineers
{{UK-astronomer-stub