Herbert Hall Turner
| Herbert Hall Turner | |
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| Born | 13 August 1861 |
| Died | 20 August 1930 (aged 69) |
| Nationality | British |
| Fields | astronomy seismology |
| Notable awards | Bruce Medal (1927) |
Herbert Hall Turner (13 August 1861, Leeds – 20 August 1930, Stockholm) was a British astronomer and seismologist.
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[edit] Biography
Herbert Hall Turner was educated at Clifton College and Trinity College, Cambridge.,[1] In 1884 he accepted the post of Chief Assistant at Greenwich Observatory and stayed there for nine years. In 1893 he became Savilian Profesor of Astronomy and Director of the Observatory at Oxford University, a post he held for 37 years until his sudden death in 1930.[2]
He was one of the observers in the Eclipse Expeditions of 1886 and 1887. In seismology, he is credited with the discovery of deep focus earthquakes. He is also credited with coining the word parsec.
His 1897 Royal Society candidature citation read: " Secretary of the Royal Astronomical Society. Was Chief Assistant at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich 1884-1894. Author of various papers among which may be mentioned:-
- "On the correction of the Equilibrium theory of tides for the continents (with G H Darwin, Proc.RS. vol lx)
- "Report of observations of total solar eclipse of Aug 29 1886" (Phil Trans. vol 180A),
- "On Mr Edgeworth's method of reducing observations relating to several quantities" (Phil. Mag. Vol24).
- "On Mr Leath's Intersects" (Monthly Notices R.A.S. vol xlvi).
- "On observations for coincidence of collimators at Royal Observatory Greenwich" (M,N. Vols xlv and liii).
- "On the variations of level against of the Transit Circle at Royal Observatory Greenwich" (M.N. Vol.xlvii).
- "On the longitude of Paris" (M.N. vol li).
- "on stellar Photography (M.N. Vols xlix and liv)
- On the R-D discordnace (M.N. vol Liii p. 374 and 424, vol Liv p. 486, Mem Part. 3. vol ii);
- On new forms of levels (M.N. Vol Lii).
- Conference of the Cape (1880) and Greenwich (1880)
- Star Catalogues (Mem. Rs.F.S, vol Li).
- On the reduction of measures of photographic plates (N.N. vol LiV)
He died of a brain haemorrhage in 1930 at a conference in Stockholm. He had married Agnes Margaret Whyte in 1899; they had one daughter, Dr Ruth Turner of St Mary's Hospital, London.
[edit] Honours
- Savilian Professor Of Astronomy In The University Of Oxford[3]
- Foundation Scholar of Trinity College, Cambridge
- 1st Class Math, with Exhibition, and 1st Class Physics, with Amott Exhibition and Medal, University of London, 1880
- Mathematical Scholarship and 1st Class Experimental Physics, University of London, 1882
- Second Wrangler and Sheepshanks Astronomical Exhibitioner, Cambridge, 1882
- 1st Class Math. Tripos, 3rd part, and 2nd Smith's Prize
- Fellow of Trinity. F.R.A.S.
- Chief Assistant at Greenwich Observatory.
- Fellow of the Royal Society, June 1897 [4]
[edit] Awards
- Bruce Medal (1927)
[edit] Named after him
- The crater Turner on the Moon
- Asteroid 1186 Turnera
[edit] Works
Astronomical Discovery Gutenberg ebook with plates, originally published 1904.
[edit] References
- ^ Venn, J.; Venn, J. A., eds (1922–1958). "Turner, Herbert Hall". Alumni Cantabrigienses (10 vols) (online ed.). Cambridge University Press.
- ^ "Herbert Hall Turner". Popular Astronomy. Bibcode 1931PA.....39...59C.
- ^ Turner, Herbert Hall (1904). Astronomical Discovery. Edward Arnold, London. pp. 225. http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/33337.
- ^ "Library and Archive Catalogue". Royal Society. http://www2.royalsociety.org/DServe/dserve.exe?dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqCmd=Show.tcl&dsqDb=Persons&dsqPos=7&dsqSearch=%28Surname%3D%27turner%27%29. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
[edit] External links
Works written by or about Herbert Hall Turner at Wikisource
