- Astronomer Royal
Astronomer Royal is a senior post in the
Royal Household of the Sovereign of theUnited Kingdom . There are two officers, the senior being the Astronomer Royal dating from 22 June 1675, and the second theAstronomer Royal for Scotland dating from 1834.King Charles II, who founded the
Royal Observatory Greenwich in 1675 instructed the first Astronomer RoyalJohn Flamsteed , "to apply himself with the most exact care and diligence to the rectifying of the tables of the motions of the heavens, and the places of the fixed stars, so as to find out the so much desired longitude of places for the perfecting of the art of navigation."From that time until 1972 the Astronomer Royal was Director of the Royal Observatory Greenwich. As Astronomer Royal he receives a
stipend of 100 GBP per year and is a member of theRoyal Household , under the general authority of theLord Chamberlain . After the separation of the two offices the position of Astronomer Royal has been largely honorary, though he remains available to advise the Sovereign on astronomical and related scientific matters, and the office is of great prestige.There was also formerly an
astronomer royal for Ireland known as the Royal Astronomer of Ireland.Astronomers Royal
* 1675-1719
John Flamsteed
* 1720-1742Edmond Halley
* 1742-1762James Bradley
* 1762-1764Nathaniel Bliss
* 1765-1811Nevil Maskelyne
* 1811-1835John Pond
* 1835-1881George Airy
* 1881-1910 William Christie
* 1910-1933Frank Dyson
* 1933-1955Harold Spencer Jones
* 1956-1971Richard van der Riet Woolley
* 1972-1982Martin Ryle
* 1982-1990Francis Graham-Smith
* 1991-1995Arnold Wolfendale
* 1995-"present"Martin Rees, Baron Rees of Ludlow
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