William Radcliffe Birt
Encyclopedia
William Radcliffe Birt was an English
amateur astronomer
in the 19th century. His name is used for the Birt crater
, a minor crater
on the Moon
. Birt worked extensively with John Herschel
, carrying out a great deal of meteorogical
research
on atmospheric waves
, from 1843 to 1850. A lot of his work is held in the Scientist's Collection at the American Philosophical Society
.
The lunar crater Birt
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...
amateur astronomer
Amateur astronomy
Amateur astronomy, also called backyard astronomy and stargazing, is a hobby whose participants enjoy watching the night sky , and the plethora of objects found in it, mainly with portable telescopes and binoculars...
in the 19th century. His name is used for the Birt crater
Birt (crater)
Birt is a lunar impact crater located in the eastern half of the Mare Nubium and west of the Rupes Recta.Birt is a bowl-shaped formation with a raised rim, slightly slightly intersected along the southeast edge by the much smaller crater Birt A...
, a minor crater
Impact crater
In the broadest sense, the term impact crater can be applied to any depression, natural or manmade, resulting from the high velocity impact of a projectile with a larger body...
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...
. Birt worked extensively with John Herschel
John Herschel
Sir John Frederick William Herschel, 1st Baronet KH, FRS ,was an English mathematician, astronomer, chemist, and experimental photographer/inventor, who in some years also did valuable botanical work...
, carrying out a great deal of meteorogical
Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
on atmospheric waves
Earth's atmosphere
The atmosphere of Earth is a layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth that is retained by Earth's gravity. The atmosphere protects life on Earth by absorbing ultraviolet solar radiation, warming the surface through heat retention , and reducing temperature extremes between day and night...
, from 1843 to 1850. A lot of his work is held in the Scientist's Collection at the American Philosophical Society
American Philosophical Society
The American Philosophical Society, founded in 1743, and located in Philadelphia, Pa., is an eminent scholarly organization of international reputation, that promotes useful knowledge in the sciences and humanities through excellence in scholarly research, professional meetings, publications,...
.
The lunar crater Birt
Birt (crater)
Birt is a lunar impact crater located in the eastern half of the Mare Nubium and west of the Rupes Recta.Birt is a bowl-shaped formation with a raised rim, slightly slightly intersected along the southeast edge by the much smaller crater Birt A...
is named after him.
Further reading
- Obituary in MNRAS, (1882), v. 42, p.142-144.