Francis John Welsh Whipple
Encyclopedia
Francis John Welsh Whipple (1876-1943) was a British
mathematician and meteorologist. From 1925 to 1939 he was superintendent of the Kew Observatory
.
and obtained a scholarship at Trinity College, Cambridge
in 1895; he was placed Second Wrangler in the Mathematical Tripos of 1897.
In 1899, he showed that bicycle
s could be self stable.
From 1899-1912 he was Assistant Master at Merchant Taylors' School, and he worked at the Meteorological Office from 1912-1925. He served as president of the Royal Meteorological Society
from 1936 to 1937.
Among other things he worked on meteorite
s. Together with C. C. Wylie he could show by photographs that meteorites have elliptical orbits, thus disproving the hypothesis of their interstellar origin.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
mathematician and meteorologist. From 1925 to 1939 he was superintendent of the Kew Observatory
Kew Observatory
Kew Observatory was an astronomical and terrestrial magnetic observatoryfounded by King George III , located within the Old Deer Park of the former Richmond Palace in Richmond, Surrey, now within Greater London. The former royal manor of Kew lies to the immediate north...
.
Biography
Whipple attended the Merchant Taylors' SchoolMerchant Taylors' School, Northwood
Merchant Taylors' School is a British independent day school for boys, originally located in the City of London. Since 1933 it has been located at Sandy Lodge in the Three Rivers district of Hertfordshire ....
and obtained a scholarship at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
in 1895; he was placed Second Wrangler in the Mathematical Tripos of 1897.
In 1899, he showed that bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
s could be self stable.
From 1899-1912 he was Assistant Master at Merchant Taylors' School, and he worked at the Meteorological Office from 1912-1925. He served as president of the Royal Meteorological Society
Royal Meteorological Society
The Royal Meteorological Society traces its origins back to 3 April 1850 when the British Meteorological Society was formed as a society the objects of which should be the advancement and extension of meteorological science by determining the laws of climate and of meteorological phenomena in general...
from 1936 to 1937.
Among other things he worked on meteorite
Meteorite
A meteorite is a natural object originating in outer space that survives impact with the Earth's surface. Meteorites can be big or small. Most meteorites derive from small astronomical objects called meteoroids, but they are also sometimes produced by impacts of asteroids...
s. Together with C. C. Wylie he could show by photographs that meteorites have elliptical orbits, thus disproving the hypothesis of their interstellar origin.