The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-12-27
TODAY IN HISTORY
Death Of Great Astronomer.
TUESDAY. DECEMBER IT.

Death Of Great Astronomer.
II is strange fact that tho three
men upon whom rests the whole etruc-
ture OF modern scientific astronomy were
! porh within the space of little more than
hlt"en miles-Nowton, Haley and Flam-
steed-and II lis Of record OF good au-
astronomy s fixed upon the date that
+ .amslsed began his observations at
/ Greenwich.
The discovery of the western hemi-
9phefe and southern point OF the conti-
| nent OF Africa, so extended the field OF
! navigation that II became a necessity TO
devise some means that would enable one
| IN manner TO determine at any time
Just when he was upon the trackless
waters. II was d we'll tablished far.
! that In order to reach such a system IL
would be necessary to gain u more rcIi-
! able knowledge OF the planets
! IL was past the middle OF the seven
teenth century when lie Sour dc st.
Pierre, French advcnturer, came for
ward with theory which he claimed
would meet the requirements, but King
| Charles III. was apprised OF the fact that
ono ono oil his own subjects had exploded St.
Plerre's theory and had Issued Il learned
paper the subject that was attract
ing much attention.
The author OF the paper although hid :
den behind an assumed name. was dis
covered to be John FYamsteed who TO
demonstrate the accuracy Of his claims
said II would he necessary TO make OBJ
servations Of the moon and the fixed stars
d
series Of years
Flamsteed was born on August 19, 1876
and had so far advanced in his astrono-
mical research that when he WINS twenty
nine ,yenrs old King Charles. who had
completed the Greenwich observatory to
provide him with the proper facilities to
carry out his project, Installed him as
the royal astronomical observer in 1875
Thus started on utility basis to meet
the needs OF sailors the work OF the
observatory drifted I'm scientific direc-
ton and ultimately became an interna-
tional institution by Its universal accep-
lance as the zero point OF longitudinal
calculations In the construction OF maps
and charts. While the government con-
sructed the observatory, ii did not fur
ntsh Flamsteod with single instrument.
and he began the work which was to
cover period OF nearly half a century
and to result in discoveries that should
stand as the foundation OF astronomy.
with an iron sextant of seven feet
radius: two telescopes and two clocks.
while catalogue embracing but 1000
stars was his only guide. He hammered
away with these crude instruments and
such others as he himself could contrive
untli his catalogue embraced more than
1000 stars. And all OF this he started
on salary of e100 per anuum, which
was afterward reduced to EGO,
In the closing years OF his life he and
Newton fell out. and II one may judge
from the correspondence that passed be-
tween them their disputes were. for the
most part. based upon jealousies. FIaIn-
steed charged Sir Isaac with working
with the ore he had dug" and Sir Isaac
rctorted that "ff Flamsteed did dig the
orc, ! made the gold ring
w hen Flamsteed died, on December 2I,
lIlo, he was succeeded as royal astrono-
mcr by Edmund HALEY. and the line OF
illustricus successors who have contrib
uted TO the sum total OF tho science as
we enjoy it today contains such names
as Bradley. Bliss, Maskevne, Pond. Airy
and Christie. The famous observatory
which was rebuilt In 1899 crowns an eIe-
walton Of $50 feet and the Greenwich
park. which affords recreation for so
many Londoners. Is an historic spot. for
il was royal residence, from the thir-
teenth to the seventeenth century Tt
was here that Henry VIII was born and
his two daughters as well Mary and
Elizabeth, who also wore the crown OF
England. It was here, too that the un-
happy consumptlve king. Edward vi.
Royal Navy now occupies the palace site.
December 27, 1875. Washington was in
vested by congress with supreme ys)wer:
the first Union league was organized in
Philadelphia in 1862. and the Pcndlcton
day is tho birthday OF Kepler. the as
tronomer n57D; William ". Corcoran,
who established the Corcoran art gal
lery. Washington G79S; Senator VIII
liam Allen, who originated the expression.
'Fifty four-forty or hght' GsO6l, and
man ds$1). Today is the date of the
death of Pierre de Ronsard. poet (15s5) |
! ord Kames. lawyer and mctaphysician !
G7S2). John Wilkes. celebrated dema-
gogue O79O: DR. Hugh Blair. eminent
divine dSool; Charles Lamb, poet and
and miscellaneous writer GS55)-