John Bird
Mathematical instrument maker, notable for inventing the sextant. He came to London in 1740 where he worked for Jonathan Sisson and George Graham. By 1745, he had his own business in the Strand. Bi...
William Herschel
Frederick William Herschel was a German-British astronomer and composer. He frequently collaborated with his younger sister and fellow astronomer Caroline Herschel. Born Hanover. Originally a musi...
Nathaniel Bliss
Astronomer. The fourth Astronomer Royal 1762-64. Studied at Oxford University and later became the Savilian Professor of Geometry. He made important meridian observations of a comet and a solar ecl...
Edward Troughton
Instrument maker notable for making telescopes and other astronomical instruments. Source: Wikipedia.
Jesse Ramsden
Mathematician, astronomical and scientific instrument maker. His reputation was built on the engraving and design of dividing engines which allowed high accuracy measurements of angles and lengths ...
Francis Baily
Astronomer. Most famous for his observations of "Baily's beads" during a total eclipse of the Sun. Baily was also a major figure in the early history of the Royal Astronomical Society, as one of th...
George Biddell Airy
Mathematician and astronomer, as well as the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics 1826-28 and the seventh Astronomer Royal 1835-81. His many achievements include work on planetary orbits, measuring th...
13,085 more subjects