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 junior is the astronomer royal for Scotland dating from 1834.

John Flamsteed, the first astronomer royal, by Thomas Gibson. Royal Society, London.

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, although the holder remains available to advise the Sovereign on astronomical and related scientific matters,[5] 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.[6] He also makes an appearance in the lyrics of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance[7] and plays an important role in Fred Hoyle's novel The Black Cloud.

Astronomers royal
#ImageNameStart yearEnd yearReference
1.John Flamsteed16751719[2][5]
2.Edmond Halley17201742[2][5]
3.James Bradley17421762[2][5]
4.Nathaniel Bliss17621764[2][5]
5.Nevil Maskelyne17651811[2][5]
6.John Pond18111835[2][5]
7.Sir George Biddell Airy18351881[4][5]
8.Sir William Christie18811910[4][5]
9.Sir Frank Dyson19101933[4][5]
10.Sir Harold Spencer Jones19331955[4][5]
11.Sir Richard van der Riet Woolley19561971[4][5]
12.Sir Martin Ryle19721982[4][5]
13.Sir Francis Graham-Smith19821990[5]
14.Sir Arnold Wolfendale19911995[5]
15.Martin Rees, Baron Rees of Ludlow1995Incumbent[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 8 March 2016. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  6. p. 175, Penguin edition
  7. "The Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert and Sullivan". The Gilbert and Sullivan Archive.
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