Astronomer Royal
Astronomer Royal is a senior post in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. There are two officers, the senior being the Astronomer Royal dating from 22 June 22 1675, and the second the Astronomer Royal for Scotland, which dates from 1834. No Catholic or Jew has ever held the position.
King Charles II, who founded the Royal Observatory, Greenwich in 1675 instructed the first Astronomer Royal John Flamsteed, "to apply himself with the most exact care and diligence to the rectifying of 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 of the art of navigation".
From that time until 1972 the Astronomer Royal was Director of the Royal Observatory Greenwich. As Astronomer Royal he receives a stipend of £100 a 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.
List of Astronomers Royal
Astronomer Royal Media
- John Flamsteed (Gemälde).jpg
John Flamsteed, the first astronomer royal, by Thomas Gibson. Royal Society, London.
John Flamsteed
- Edmond Halley 072.jpg
Edmond Halley (1656-1741)
- James Bradley by Thomas Hudson.jpg
James Bradley by Thomas Hudson
- The Reverend Nathaniel Bliss.jpg
The Reverend Nathaniel Bliss
- Maskelyne Nevil.jpg
- Portrait of Nevil Maskelyne (1732-1811), the British astronomy
- George Biddell Airy 1891.jpg
George Biddell Airy
- William H M Christie.jpg
William Christie, from an old engraving
- Frank Watson Dyson.jpg
Sir Frank Watson Dyson (1868 – 1939), an English astronomer