Herbert Hall Turner
Encyclopedia
Herbert Hall Turner was a British
astronomer
and seismologist.
and Trinity College, Cambridge
., In 1884 he accepted the post of Chief Assistant at Greenwich Observatory and stayed there for nine years. In 1893 he became Savilian Profesor of Astronomy and Director of the Observatory at Oxford University, a post he held for 37 years until his sudden death in 1930.
He was one of the observers in the Eclipse Expeditions of 1886 and 1887. In seismology
, he is credited with the discovery of deep focus earthquakes. He is also credited with coining the word parsec
.
His 1897 Royal Society candidature citation read: " Secretary of the Royal Astronomical Society. Was Chief Assistant at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich 1884-1894. Author of various papers among which may be mentioned:- " Report of observations of total solar eclipse of Aug 29 1886" (Phil Trans. vol 180A),
" On Mr Edgeworth's method of reducing observations relating to several quantities" (Phil. Mag. Vol24).
" On Mr Leath's Intersects" (Monthly Notices R.A.S. vol xlvi).
" On observations for coincidence of collimators at Royal Observatory Greenwich" (M,N. Vols xlv and liii).
" On the variations of level against of the Transit Circle at Royal Observatory Greenwich" (M.N. Vol.xlvii).
" On the longitude of Paris" (M.N. vol li).
" on stellar Photography (M.N. Vols xlix and liv)
On the R-D discordnace (M.N. vol Liii p. 374 and 424, vol Liv p. 486, Mem Part. 3. vol ii);
On new forms of levels (M.N. Vol Lii).
Conference of the Cape (1880) and Greenwich (1880)
Star Catalogues (Mem. Rs.F.S, vol Li).
On the reduction of measures of photographic plates (N.N. vol LiV)
He died of a brain haemorrhage in 1930 at a conference in Stockholm. He had married Agnes Margaret Whyte in 1899; they had one daughter, Dr Ruth Turner of St Mary's Hospital, London.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
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...
and seismologist.
Biography
Herbert Hall Turner was educated at Clifton CollegeClifton College
Clifton College is a co-educational independent school in Clifton, Bristol, England, founded in 1862. In its early years it was notable for emphasising science in the curriculum, and for being less concerned with social elitism, e.g. by admitting day-boys on equal terms and providing a dedicated...
and 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 1884 he accepted the post of Chief Assistant at Greenwich Observatory and stayed there for nine years. In 1893 he became Savilian Profesor of Astronomy and Director of the Observatory at Oxford University, a post he held for 37 years until his sudden death in 1930.
He was one of the observers in the Eclipse Expeditions of 1886 and 1887. In seismology
Seismology
Seismology is the scientific study of earthquakes and the propagation of elastic waves through the Earth or through other planet-like bodies. The field also includes studies of earthquake effects, such as tsunamis as well as diverse seismic sources such as volcanic, tectonic, oceanic,...
, he is credited with the discovery of deep focus earthquakes. He is also credited with coining the word parsec
Parsec
The parsec is a unit of length used in astronomy. It is about 3.26 light-years, or just under 31 trillion kilometres ....
.
His 1897 Royal Society candidature citation read: " Secretary of the Royal Astronomical Society. Was Chief Assistant at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich 1884-1894. Author of various papers among which may be mentioned:-
- "
He died of a brain haemorrhage in 1930 at a conference in Stockholm. He had married Agnes Margaret Whyte in 1899; they had one daughter, Dr Ruth Turner of St Mary's Hospital, London.
Honours
- Savilian Professor Of Astronomy In The University Of Oxford
- Foundation Scholar of Trinity College, CambridgeTrinity College, CambridgeTrinity 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...
- 1st Class Math, with Exhibition, and 1st Class Physics, with Amott Exhibition and Medal, University of LondonUniversity of London-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
, 1880 - Mathematical Scholarship and 1st Class Experimental Physics, University of London, 1882
- Second Wrangler and Sheepshanks Astronomical Exhibitioner, Cambridge, 1882
- 1st Class Math. Tripos, 3rd part, and 2nd Smith's Prize
- Fellow of Trinity. F.R.A.S.
- Chief Assistant at Greenwich Observatory.
- Fellow of the Royal Society, June 1897
Named after him
- The crater TurnerTurner (crater)Turner is a small lunar impact crater that lies in the Mare Insularum, near the Moon's equator. It is located to the southeast of the crater Gambart. Turner is a circular, cone-shaped crater with inner walls that slope down to the mid-point...
on the MoonMoonThe Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more... - AsteroidAsteroidAsteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
1186 Turnera1186 Turnera1186 Turnera is a main-belt asteroid discovered on August 1, 1929 by C. Jackson at Johannesburg .- External links :...