Astronomer. He served as Great Britain's Astronomer Royal from 1835 until 1881. In 1838 he created a magnetic and meteorological department at the Greenwich Observatory in England. From 1826 to 1854 he conducted research which led him to determine the mean density of the Earth. As Astronomer Royal, he built the Airy Transit Circle, which defines the exact position of the Greenwich or Prime Meridian longitude vector. He was a Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge University for forty-six years, and was the first to draw attention to the visual defect known as astigmatism, from which he himself suffered.
Astronomer. He served as Great Britain's Astronomer Royal from 1835 until 1881. In 1838 he created a magnetic and meteorological department at the Greenwich Observatory in England. From 1826 to 1854 he conducted research which led him to determine the mean density of the Earth. As Astronomer Royal, he built the Airy Transit Circle, which defines the exact position of the Greenwich or Prime Meridian longitude vector. He was a Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge University for forty-six years, and was the first to draw attention to the visual defect known as astigmatism, from which he himself suffered.
Bio by: s.canning
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