John Goodricke
Encyclopedia
John Goodricke FRS (17 September 1764 – 20 April 1786) was an eminent and profoundly deaf amateur astronomer
. He is best known for his observations of the variable star
Algol (Beta Persei) in 1782.
of Ribston Hall
), was born in Groningen in the Netherlands
, but lived most of his life in England
. He was profoundly deaf through most of his life, due to scarlet fever
in early childhood. His parents sent him to Thomas Braidwood's Academy, a school for deaf pupils in Edinburgh
, and in 1778 to the Warrington Academy
.
After leaving Warrington, Goodricke returned to live with his parents in York
. There, he became friends with Edward Pigott
, whose father Nathaniel Pigott
had built a sophisticated private observatory
. Edward was already interested in variable stars, and he gave Goodricke a list of those that he thought were worthy of observation.
Goodricke is credited with discovering the periodic variation of the eponymous δ Cephei
, of the Cepheid variable
stars.
Although several stars were already known to vary in apparent magnitude
, Goodricke was the first to propose a mechanism to account for this. He suggested that Algol is what is now known as an eclipsing binary. He presented his findings to the Royal Society
in May 1783, and for this work, the Society awarded him the Copley Medal
for that year. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society on 16 April 1786. He never learned of this honour however, as he died four days later from pneumonia
. He never married.
, along with many of his relatives.
Today there is a marker in York near the site of John Goodricke's observatory.
Between October 2005 and March 2006 Sean Ellingham and James Valner from the University of York
undertook a project to find the position of Goodricke's observatory using the data he recorded. A 1949 study by Sidney Melmore had shown that Goodricke worked from the Treasurer's House (now owned by the National Trust
) very near York Minster
. By re-creating Goodricke's observations, the two York students were able to conclude that he had observed from the eastern-most window of the second floor, looking south towards the Minster.
's School for the Deaf in Edinburgh and then the Warrington Academy
, where he was an excellent student of mathematics and astronomy. After returning to his parents' home in York, England, he made astronomical observations with his neighbor and distant relative, Edward Pigott
.
The two were the first to measure accurately the brightnesses of stars whose light varies with time. Goodricke reported the first precise measurement of the period of variation of the star Algol, which is now known to be an eclipsing binary star. For this work, he was awarded the Copley Medal of the Royal Society of London in 1783. He was elected to membership in the Royal Society in 1786, less than two weeks before he died at the age of 21. He is buried with his grandparents, parents, brother, and nephew in the churchyard at Hunsingore
, North Yorkshire. At present, the only stone marking their burial places says "The Goodricke Vault." (bio by: Linda French)
Goodricke College at the University of York
is named after Goodricke. There is also a modern sculpture named Algol in the grounds.
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...
. He is best known for his observations of the variable star
Variable star
A star is classified as variable if its apparent magnitude as seen from Earth changes over time, whether the changes are due to variations in the star's actual luminosity, or to variations in the amount of the star's light that is blocked from reaching Earth...
Algol (Beta Persei) in 1782.
Life and work
John Goodricke, named after his grandfather Sir John Goodricke (see Goodricke BaronetsGoodricke Baronets
The Baronetcy of Goodricke of Ribston was created in the Baronetage of England by King Charles I on 14 August 1641 for his loyal supporter John Goodricke of Ribston, Yorkshire...
of Ribston Hall
Ribston Hall
Ribston Hall is a privately owned 17th century country mansion situated on the banks of the River Nidd, at Great Ribston, near Knaresborough, North Yorkshire. It is a Grade II* listed building....
), was born in Groningen in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, but lived most of his life in 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 profoundly deaf through most of his life, due to scarlet fever
Scarlet fever
Scarlet fever is a disease caused by exotoxin released by Streptococcus pyogenes. Once a major cause of death, it is now effectively treated with antibiotics...
in early childhood. His parents sent him to Thomas Braidwood's Academy, a school for deaf pupils in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, and in 1778 to the Warrington Academy
Warrington Academy
Warrington Academy, active as a teaching establishment from 1756 to 1782, was a prominent dissenting academy, that is, a school or college set up by those who dissented from the state church in England...
.
After leaving Warrington, Goodricke returned to live with his parents in York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
. There, he became friends with Edward Pigott
Edward Pigott
Edward Pigott was an English astronomer, and the son of astronomer Nathaniel Pigott and Anna Mathurine de Bériot . Probably born in Whitton, Middlesex, his elder brother, Charles Gregory, died in young age. He also had a younger sister, Mathurina...
, whose father Nathaniel Pigott
Nathaniel Pigott
Nathaniel Pigott was an English astronomer, noted for his observations of eclipses, a transit of Venus and a transit of Mercury, and comets...
had built a sophisticated private observatory
Observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
. Edward was already interested in variable stars, and he gave Goodricke a list of those that he thought were worthy of observation.
Goodricke is credited with discovering the periodic variation of the eponymous δ Cephei
Delta Cephei
Delta Cephei is a binary star system approximately 891 light-years away in the constellation of Cepheus . Delta Cephei is the prototype of the Cepheid variable stars, and it is among the closest stars of this type to the Sun...
, of the 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...
stars.
Although several stars were already known to vary in apparent magnitude
Apparent magnitude
The apparent magnitude of a celestial body is a measure of its brightness as seen by an observer on Earth, adjusted to the value it would have in the absence of the atmosphere...
, Goodricke was the first to propose a mechanism to account for this. He suggested that Algol is what is now known as an eclipsing binary. He presented his findings to the Royal Society
Royal Society
The 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"...
in May 1783, and for this work, the Society awarded him the Copley Medal
Copley Medal
The Copley Medal is an award given by the Royal Society of London for "outstanding achievements in research in any branch of science, and alternates between the physical sciences and the biological sciences"...
for that year. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society on 16 April 1786. He never learned of this honour however, as he died four days later from pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
. He never married.
Goodricke in Yorkshire
Goodricke was buried at Hunsingore Church in YorkshireYorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, along with many of his relatives.
Today there is a marker in York near the site of John Goodricke's observatory.
Between October 2005 and March 2006 Sean Ellingham and James Valner from the University of York
University of York
The University of York , is an academic institution located in the city of York, England. Established in 1963, the campus university has expanded to more than thirty departments and centres, covering a wide range of subjects...
undertook a project to find the position of Goodricke's observatory using the data he recorded. A 1949 study by Sidney Melmore had shown that Goodricke worked from the Treasurer's House (now owned by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
) very near York Minster
York Minster
York Minster is a Gothic cathedral in York, England and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe alongside Cologne Cathedral. The minster is the seat of the Archbishop of York, the second-highest office of the Church of England, and is the cathedral for the Diocese of York; it is run by...
. By re-creating Goodricke's observations, the two York students were able to conclude that he had observed from the eastern-most window of the second floor, looking south towards the Minster.
Looking for his grave
Goodricke became deaf after contracting scarlet fever at age five. He attended Thomas BraidwoodThomas Braidwood
Thomas Braidwood was born at Hillhead Farm, Covington, Lanarkshire, Scotland, the fourth child of Thomas Braidwood and Agnes Meek. Braidwood originally established himself as a writing master instructing the children of the wealthy at his private building based in Canongate in Edinburgh...
's School for the Deaf in Edinburgh and then the Warrington Academy
Warrington Academy
Warrington Academy, active as a teaching establishment from 1756 to 1782, was a prominent dissenting academy, that is, a school or college set up by those who dissented from the state church in England...
, where he was an excellent student of mathematics and astronomy. After returning to his parents' home in York, England, he made astronomical observations with his neighbor and distant relative, Edward Pigott
Edward Pigott
Edward Pigott was an English astronomer, and the son of astronomer Nathaniel Pigott and Anna Mathurine de Bériot . Probably born in Whitton, Middlesex, his elder brother, Charles Gregory, died in young age. He also had a younger sister, Mathurina...
.
The two were the first to measure accurately the brightnesses of stars whose light varies with time. Goodricke reported the first precise measurement of the period of variation of the star Algol, which is now known to be an eclipsing binary star. For this work, he was awarded the Copley Medal of the Royal Society of London in 1783. He was elected to membership in the Royal Society in 1786, less than two weeks before he died at the age of 21. He is buried with his grandparents, parents, brother, and nephew in the churchyard at Hunsingore
Hunsingore
Hunsingore is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated near the River Nidd and the A1 road motorway, about west of York.-People associated with Hunsingore:* John Goodricke...
, North Yorkshire. At present, the only stone marking their burial places says "The Goodricke Vault." (bio by: Linda French)
Goodricke College at the University of York
University of York
The University of York , is an academic institution located in the city of York, England. Established in 1963, the campus university has expanded to more than thirty departments and centres, covering a wide range of subjects...
is named after Goodricke. There is also a modern sculpture named Algol in the grounds.