James Francis Tennant
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-General James Francis Tennant (10 January 1829 – 6 March 1915) was a noted soldier and astronomer.
He was born in Calcutta to Scottish
parents. The son of Brigadier-General Sir James Tennant and Elizabeth (née Paterson), he was educated at the East India Company
's Military Seminary at Addiscombe
, and began his military career with the Bengal Engineers in Calcutta in 1847.
His mathematical skills landed him with the Great Trigonometric Survey
where he was engaged in triangulation of the great longitudinal series until 1857, when he was diverted to garrison duties during the Indian Mutiny. In 1859, when he rejoined the survey, he was given the directorship of the Madras Observatory
where his interest in astronomy started.
He was noted for being an observer for the Royal Astronomical Society
for the solar eclipse
of 17 August 1868 across the Indian peninsula, and that of 11 December 1871 across Southern India, and later the transit of Venus
of 1874.
It is during these observations that photographic equipment was used extensively for the first time, Tennant was a practiced expert in photography and his skill aided the observations of the eclipses, in particular that of the corona
.
In 1876 he was appointed Master of the Royal Mint
, a position he held until his retirement in 1882, when he returned to England
.
He was elected to the council of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1885, and between 1890 and 1891 he served as president, at this time he had an interest in comets and contributed to several orbital calculations.
He was born in Calcutta to Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
parents. The son of Brigadier-General Sir James Tennant and Elizabeth (née Paterson), he was educated at the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
's Military Seminary at Addiscombe
Addiscombe Military Academy
The East India Company Military Seminary, colloquially known as Addiscombe Seminary, Addiscombe College, or Addiscombe Military Academy was a British military academy at Addiscombe, Surrey, in what is now the London Borough of Croydon. It was established in 1809, and closed in 1861...
, and began his military career with the Bengal Engineers in Calcutta in 1847.
His mathematical skills landed him with the Great Trigonometric Survey
Great Trigonometric Survey
The Great Trigonometric Survey was a project of the Survey of India throughout most of the 19th century. It was piloted in its initial stages by William Lambton, and later by George Everest. Among the many accomplishments of the Survey were the demarcation of the British territories in India and...
where he was engaged in triangulation of the great longitudinal series until 1857, when he was diverted to garrison duties during the Indian Mutiny. In 1859, when he rejoined the survey, he was given the directorship of the Madras Observatory
Madras Observatory
The Madras Observatory was founded by the British East India Company in 1786 in Chennai . For over a century it was the only astronomical observatory in India that exclusively worked on the stars. Among the astronomers at the observatory were Norman Robert Pogson, Michael Topping and John Goldingham...
where his interest in astronomy started.
He was noted for being an observer for 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...
for the solar eclipse
Solar eclipse
As seen from the Earth, a solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, and the Moon fully or partially blocks the Sun as viewed from a location on Earth. This can happen only during a new moon, when the Sun and the Moon are in conjunction as seen from Earth. At least...
of 17 August 1868 across the Indian peninsula, and that of 11 December 1871 across Southern India, and later the transit of Venus
Transit of Venus
A transit of Venus across the Sun takes place when the planet Venus passes directly between the Sun and Earth, becoming visible against the solar disk. During a transit, Venus can be seen from Earth as a small black disk moving across the face of the Sun...
of 1874.
It is during these observations that photographic equipment was used extensively for the first time, Tennant was a practiced expert in photography and his skill aided the observations of the eclipses, in particular that of the corona
Corona
A corona is a type of plasma "atmosphere" of the Sun or other celestial body, extending millions of kilometers into space, most easily seen during a total solar eclipse, but also observable in a coronagraph...
.
In 1876 he was appointed Master of the Royal Mint
Royal Mint
The Royal Mint is the body permitted to manufacture, or mint, coins in the United Kingdom. The Mint originated over 1,100 years ago, but since 2009 it operates as Royal Mint Ltd, a company which has an exclusive contract with HM Treasury to supply all coinage for the UK...
, a position he held until his retirement in 1882, when he returned to England
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...
.
He was elected to the council of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1885, and between 1890 and 1891 he served as president, at this time he had an interest in comets and contributed to several orbital calculations.