Great Astronomers: Edmond Halley Illustrated

Early Life and Education

Edmond Halley was born on November 8, 1656, in Haggerston, London, England. His father, Edmond Halley Sr., was a soap boiler and tallow chandler. Halley's mother, Mary Tooke, was the daughter of a wealthy merchant. Halley was the eldest of three children.

Great Astronomers: Edmond Halley Illustrated

by Kim Alexis

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Halley attended St. Paul's School in London and then went on to study at Queen's College, Oxford. He graduated from Oxford in 1676 with a degree in mathematics.

Early Career

After graduating from Oxford, Halley worked as an assistant to the astronomer John Flamsteed at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. In 1678, he published his first scientific paper, which was about the transit of Mercury.

In 1680, Halley was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. He also became a member of the French Academy of Sciences.

Halley's Comet

In 1682, Halley published his most famous work, "A Synopsis of the Astronomy of Comets." In this work, Halley proposed that the comet that had been observed in 1680 was the same comet that had been observed in 1531 and 1607. He predicted that the comet would return in 1758.

Halley's prediction was correct, and the comet did return in 1758. The comet was named Halley's Comet in his honor.

Later Career

In addition to his work on comets, Halley also made important contributions to the fields of geophysics, meteorology, and physics. He was the first person to propose that the aurora borealis is caused by the interaction of the solar wind with the Earth's magnetic field. He also developed a method for measuring the distance to the Moon.

In 1703, Halley was appointed Savilian Professor of Geometry at Oxford. He held this position until his death in 1742.

Legacy

Edmond Halley was one of the most important astronomers of his time. His work on comets, geophysics, meteorology, and physics helped to shape our understanding of the universe. Halley's legacy continues to inspire scientists and astronomers today.

Images of Edmond Halley

[Image of Edmond Halley by Thomas Murray, 1688] [Image of Halley's Comet by Edmond Halley, 1705] [Image of a bust of Edmond Halley by John Cheere, 1738]

Great Astronomers: Edmond Halley Illustrated

by Kim Alexis

4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	355 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	35 pages
Lending	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported

FREE