Henry Crozier Keating Plummer
Encyclopedia
Henry Crozier Keating Plummer FRS (24 October 1875 – 30 September 1946) was an English
astronomer
.
, Plummer was the son of William Edward Plummer and nephew of the distinguished astronomer John Isaac Plummer. He gained his education at St. Edward's School
and then Hertford College
. After studies in physics
, he became a lecturer at Owen's College
, Manchester
, instructing in mathematics
.
Observatory, where his father had served previously. He remained at the observatory for most of the next twelve years, spending one year at Lick Observatory
as a Research Fellow. He was appointed to the position of Astronomer Royal for Ireland
in 1912, and served in the Andrews' Chair of Astronomy at Trinity College, Dublin
.
He joined the Military College of Science at Woolwich
in 1921, as professor of mathematics
. He would remain at Woolwich until he retired in 1940, becoming President of the Royal Astronomical Society
from 1939 until 1941.
During his career he contributed to the Astrographic Catalogue, and contributed scientific papers. His investigations included photometric observations of short-period variables, and the radial pulsations of cepheid variable
s. In 1911 he developed a gravitational potential function that can be used to model globular clusters and spherically-symmetric galaxies, known as the Plummer potential
. In 1918 he published the work, An Introductory Treatise on Dynamical Astronomy. He also made studies of the history of science, and served on the Royal Society committee that was formed to publish the papers of Sir Isaac Newton
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
.
Early years and education
Born in OxfordOxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, Plummer was the son of William Edward Plummer and nephew of the distinguished astronomer John Isaac Plummer. He gained his education at St. Edward's School
St Edward's School (Oxford)
St. Edward's School is a co-educational independent boarding school located in Oxford, England. The school is located on the Woodstock Road in the north of the city close to the suburb of Summertown. In 2007 it was voted by the Country Life Magazine as number one in the top ten schools in the UK...
and then Hertford College
Hertford College, Oxford
Hertford College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is located in Catte Street, directly opposite the main entrance of the original Bodleian Library. As of 2006, the college had a financial endowment of £52m. There are 612 students , plus various visiting...
. After studies in physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, he became a lecturer at Owen's College
Victoria University of Manchester
The Victoria University of Manchester was a university in Manchester, England. On 1 October 2004 it merged with the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology to form a new entity, "The University of Manchester".-1851 - 1951:The University was founded in 1851 as Owens College,...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, instructing in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
.
Career
In 1900, he became an assistant at the Oxford UniversityUniversity of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
Observatory, where his father had served previously. He remained at the observatory for most of the next twelve years, spending one year at Lick Observatory
Lick Observatory
The Lick Observatory is an astronomical observatory, owned and operated by the University of California. It is situated on the summit of Mount Hamilton, in the Diablo Range just east of San Jose, California, USA...
as a Research Fellow. He was appointed to the position of Astronomer Royal for Ireland
Astronomer Royal for Ireland
The Royal Astronomer of Ireland was a title attached to the Andrews Professorship of astronomy in Trinity College Dublin and the directorship of its astronomical observatory at Dunsink, near Dublin. The eight title-holders included Charles Jasper Joly, Professor Sir Robert Stawell Ball, Professor...
in 1912, and served in the Andrews' Chair of Astronomy at Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
.
He joined the Military College of Science at Woolwich
Woolwich
Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...
in 1921, as professor of mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
. He would remain at Woolwich until he retired in 1940, becoming President of the Royal Astronomical Society
Royal Astronomical Society
The Royal Astronomical Society is a learned society that began as the Astronomical Society of London in 1820 to support astronomical research . It became the Royal Astronomical Society in 1831 on receiving its Royal Charter from William IV...
from 1939 until 1941.
During his career he contributed to the Astrographic Catalogue, and contributed scientific papers. His investigations included photometric observations of short-period variables, and the radial pulsations of cepheid variable
Cepheid variable
A Cepheid is a member of a class of very luminous variable stars. The strong direct relationship between a Cepheid variable's luminosity and pulsation period, secures for Cepheids their status as important standard candles for establishing the Galactic and extragalactic distance scales.Cepheid...
s. In 1911 he developed a gravitational potential function that can be used to model globular clusters and spherically-symmetric galaxies, known as the Plummer potential
Plummer model
The Plummer model or Plummer sphere is a density law that was first used by H. C. Plummer to fit observations of globular clusters. It is now often used as toy model in N-body simulations of stellar systems.- Description of the model :...
. In 1918 he published the work, An Introductory Treatise on Dynamical Astronomy. He also made studies of the history of science, and served on the Royal Society committee that was formed to publish the papers of Sir Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton
Sir Isaac Newton PRS was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and theologian, who has been "considered by many to be the greatest and most influential scientist who ever lived."...
.
Awards and honors
- Fellow of the Royal SocietyRoyal SocietyThe Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, 1920 - The crater PlummerPlummer (crater)Plummer is a lunar impact crater. It is located on the far side of the Moon from the Earth, to the north of the huge walled plain Apollo. Less than one crater diameter to the north of Plummer is the similar-sized Wilsing....
on the Moon is named after him.
Publications
- On the Theory of Aberration and the Principle of Relativity, 1910, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 70, p. 252-266
External links
- John Isaac Plummer with a brief biography of Henry.