Astronomer Royal

Astronomer Royal is a senior post in the Royal Household of the  Sovereign of the United Kingdom. There are two officers, the senior being the Astronomer Royal dating from 22 June 22 1675, and the second the Astronomer Royal for Scotland, which dates from 1834. No Catholic or Jew has ever held the position. 

King Charles II, who founded the Royal Observatory, Greenwich in 1675 instructed the first Astronomer Royal John 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 a year and is a member of the Royal Household, under the general authority of the Lord 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.

 List of Astronomers Royal 
  John Flamsteed  1675 – 1719 Edmond Halley  1720 – 1742 James Bradley  1742 – 1762 Nathaniel Bliss  1762 – 1764  Nevil Maskelyne  1765 – 1811 John Pond  1811 – 1835   George Biddell Airy  1835 – 1881  William Christie  1881 – 1910  Frank Dyson  1910 – 1933  Harold Spencer Jones  1933 – 1955  Richard van der Riet Woolley  1956 – 1971  Martin Ryle  1972 – 1982  Francis Graham-Smith  1982 – 1990  Arnold Wolfendale  1991 – 1995 Martin Rees  1995 – 

Category:British astronomers
Category:Monarchy of the United Kingdom