William Marshall Smart
Encyclopedia
William Marshall Smart was a Scottish astronomer.
He was born in Doune to Peter Fernie Smart and Isabella Marshall Harrower. He was educated at the McLaren High School, in Callander
, and graduated MA fom Glasgow University in 1910 in Mathematics and Natural Philosophy. He went on to graduate with a triple first in the Mathematical Triposes at Trinity College
, Cambridge, where he won the Tyson Medal for Astronomy.
He served in the Royal Navy during World War I as an instructor in navigation (RN College Greenwich 1915, HMS Emperor of India 1916-19) and then returned to Cambridge in 1919 as a lecturer in Mathematics and John Couch Adams Astronomer (1921–1937). With Commander FN Shearme, he wrote the Admiralty Manual of Navigation (1922). From 1937 to 1959 he was Regius Professor of Astronomy at Glasgow University. He was the co-author of Textbook on Spherical Astronomy (1931)
During World War II, Adams published four volumes on sea and air navigation that became textbooks in the armed services. He wrote more than twenty academic books during his career, and was recognised as a leader in his field.
He was President of the Royal Astronomical Society
from 1949 to 1951, and was a member of the Royal Institute of Navigation
.
His children included Professor Ninian Smart
and Professor John Jamieson Carswell "Jack" Smart.
He was born in Doune to Peter Fernie Smart and Isabella Marshall Harrower. He was educated at the McLaren High School, in Callander
Callander
Callander is a burgh in the region of Stirling, Scotland, situated on the River Teith. The town is located in the former county of Perthshire and is a popular tourist stop to and from the Highlands....
, and graduated MA fom Glasgow University in 1910 in Mathematics and Natural Philosophy. He went on to graduate with a triple first in the Mathematical Triposes at Trinity College
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...
, Cambridge, where he won the Tyson Medal for Astronomy.
He served in the Royal Navy during World War I as an instructor in navigation (RN College Greenwich 1915, HMS Emperor of India 1916-19) and then returned to Cambridge in 1919 as a lecturer in Mathematics and John Couch Adams Astronomer (1921–1937). With Commander FN Shearme, he wrote the Admiralty Manual of Navigation (1922). From 1937 to 1959 he was Regius Professor of Astronomy at Glasgow University. He was the co-author of Textbook on Spherical Astronomy (1931)
During World War II, Adams published four volumes on sea and air navigation that became textbooks in the armed services. He wrote more than twenty academic books during his career, and was recognised as a leader in his field.
He was 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 1949 to 1951, and was a member of the Royal Institute of Navigation
Royal Institute of Navigation
The Royal Institute of Navigation is a British institution devoted to the art and science of navigation established in 1947.Its aims are to bring navigators together, to develop navigational techniques and to increase public awareness of navigation. It is based in Kensington, London. It was...
.
His children included Professor Ninian Smart
Ninian Smart
Professor Roderick Ninian Smart was a Scottish writer and university educator. He was a pioneer in the field of secular religious studies...
and Professor John Jamieson Carswell "Jack" Smart.