Thomas Street
Encyclopedia
Thomas Street (1621–1689) was an English
astronomer. In 1661, he published Astronomia Carolina, a new theorie of Coelestial Motions. An Appendix to Astronomia Carolina (including tables) followed in 1664.
Astronomia Carolina was widely read, and used by students who later became very notable
in their own right, e.g. by Isaac Newton
and by John Flamsteed
. Streete's tables in Astronomia Carolina attained some reputation for accuracy: for example, Flamsteed once referred to them as "the exactest tables in being, the Caroline", and Astronomia Carolina itself appeared in second and third editions as late as 1710 and 1716.
1674 saw the appearance of Street's Description and Use of the Planetary Systeme together with Easie Tables, as well as in the same year Tables of Projection, for artillery, accompanying a work on gunnery by Robert Anderson
.
A follower of Johannes Kepler
, Street argued, like Kepler, that Earth's
rate of daily rotation
is not uniform. He argued that the rotation increased as it approached the Sun
.
Thomas Streete the astronomer has sometimes been confused with another Thomas Street,
a judge, who lived from 1626 to 1696.
Additional information about Thomas Streete the astronomer is contained in "Brief Lives
" by his contemporary John Aubrey
. According to John Aubrey, Streete was born in Ireland, at Castle Lyons, March 5, 1621, and:
About Streete's personality, Aubrey wrote that
Cajori quotes an attribution to Street of an invention, an improved
back-staff, a modification of an earlier instrument by Robert Hooke, adding to
the device two planes and a small mirror (citing Saverien's article on the
'quartier anglois' (back-staff), in Dictionnaire universel de mathematique,
Paris, 1753).
Cajori listed among Streete's publications a number of pamphlets,
including one that showed how Streete engaged in a vigorous polemic with
Vincent Wing
, his astronomical competitor, who had published a criticism
of Streete's own Astronomia Carolina.
Edmond Halley
(1656–1742), Streete's much younger contemporary, wrote of
Streete as his 'good friend' (according to Halley's biographer), and said
that they had observed a lunar eclipse together. Halley wrote an appendix
to the 1710 edition of Street's
Astronomia Carolina, and Cajori (op.cit.) said that Halley actually
'brought out' that 1710 edition.
The crater Street
on the Moon
is named after him.
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. In 1661, he published Astronomia Carolina, a new theorie of Coelestial Motions. An Appendix to Astronomia Carolina (including tables) followed in 1664.
Astronomia Carolina was widely read, and used by students who later became very notable
in their own right, e.g. by 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."...
and by John Flamsteed
John Flamsteed
Sir John Flamsteed FRS was an English astronomer and the first Astronomer Royal. He catalogued over 3000 stars.- Life :Flamsteed was born in Denby, Derbyshire, England, the only son of Stephen Flamsteed...
. Streete's tables in Astronomia Carolina attained some reputation for accuracy: for example, Flamsteed once referred to them as "the exactest tables in being, the Caroline", and Astronomia Carolina itself appeared in second and third editions as late as 1710 and 1716.
1674 saw the appearance of Street's Description and Use of the Planetary Systeme together with Easie Tables, as well as in the same year Tables of Projection, for artillery, accompanying a work on gunnery by Robert Anderson
Robert Anderson (mathematician)
Robert Anderson , was an English mathematician and silk-weaver.Anderson was from London. John Collins, one of the early members of the Royal Society, helped with the loan of books and the supply of scientific information...
.
A follower of Johannes Kepler
Johannes Kepler
Johannes Kepler was a German mathematician, astronomer and astrologer. A key figure in the 17th century scientific revolution, he is best known for his eponymous laws of planetary motion, codified by later astronomers, based on his works Astronomia nova, Harmonices Mundi, and Epitome of Copernican...
, Street argued, like Kepler, that Earth's
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
rate of daily rotation
Rotation
A rotation is a circular movement of an object around a center of rotation. A three-dimensional object rotates always around an imaginary line called a rotation axis. If the axis is within the body, and passes through its center of mass the body is said to rotate upon itself, or spin. A rotation...
is not uniform. He argued that the rotation increased as it approached the Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
.
Thomas Streete the astronomer has sometimes been confused with another Thomas Street,
a judge, who lived from 1626 to 1696.
Additional information about Thomas Streete the astronomer is contained in "Brief Lives
Brief Lives
Brief Lives is a collection of short biographies written by John Aubrey in the last decades of the seventeenth century. Aubrey initially began collecting biographical material to assist the Oxford scholar Anthony Wood, who was working on his own collection of biographies...
" by his contemporary John Aubrey
John Aubrey
John Aubrey FRS, was an English antiquary, natural philosopher and writer. He is perhaps best known as the author of the collection of short biographical pieces usually referred to as Brief Lives...
. According to John Aubrey, Streete was born in Ireland, at Castle Lyons, March 5, 1621, and:
- "He dyed in Chanon-row (vulgarly Channel-rowe) at Westminster, the 17th August, 1689, and is buried in the church yard of the new chapell there." ...
About Streete's personality, Aubrey wrote that
- "He was of a rough and cholerique disposition. Discoursing with Prince Rupert, his highnesse affirmed something that was not according to art; sayd Mr. Street, 'whoever affirmes that is no mathematician.' So they would point at him afterwards at court and say, 'There's the man that huff't prince Rupert.'" ... "He hath left with his widowe (who lives in Warwick lane ...) an absolute piece of Trigonometrie, plain and spherical, in MS., more perfect than ever was yet donne, and more clear and demonstrated." ... "He was one of Mr. Ashmole's clarkes in the Excise office, which was his chiefest lively-hood."
Cajori quotes an attribution to Street of an invention, an improved
back-staff, a modification of an earlier instrument by Robert Hooke, adding to
the device two planes and a small mirror (citing Saverien's article on the
'quartier anglois' (back-staff), in Dictionnaire universel de mathematique,
Paris, 1753).
Cajori listed among Streete's publications a number of pamphlets,
including one that showed how Streete engaged in a vigorous polemic with
Vincent Wing
Vincent Wing
Vincent Wing was an English astrologer and astronomer, professionally a land surveyor.-Life:He was the eldest son of Vincent Wing of North Luffenham, Rutland, where he was born on 9 April 1619. The family was of Welsh origin...
, his astronomical competitor, who had published a criticism
of Streete's own Astronomia Carolina.
Edmond Halley
Edmond Halley
Edmond Halley FRS was an English astronomer, geophysicist, mathematician, meteorologist, and physicist who is best known for computing the orbit of the eponymous Halley's Comet. He was the second Astronomer Royal in Britain, following in the footsteps of John Flamsteed.-Biography and career:Halley...
(1656–1742), Streete's much younger contemporary, wrote of
Streete as his 'good friend' (according to Halley's biographer), and said
that they had observed a lunar eclipse together. Halley wrote an appendix
Addendum
An addendum, in general, is an addition required to be made to a document by its reader subsequent to its printing or publication. It comes from the Latin verbal phrase addendum est, being the gerundive form of the verb addo, addere, addidi, additum, "to give to, add to", meaning " must be added"...
to the 1710 edition of Street's
Astronomia Carolina, and Cajori (op.cit.) said that Halley actually
'brought out' that 1710 edition.
The crater Street
Street (crater)
Street is a lunar impact crater located just to the south of the prominent ray crater Tycho. Street lies within the skirt of high-albedo ejecta from Tycho, and it is more heavily worn than its younger and larger neighbor. There are several smaller craters joined to the western rim, as well as two...
on the Moon
Moon
The 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...
is named after him.