GREENWICH OBSERVATORY.

GREAT ASTRONOMERS

by

SIR ROBERT S. BALL D.Sc. LL.D. F.R.S.

Lowndean Professor of Astronomy and Geometry in theUniversity of Cambridge
Author of "In Starry Realms" "In the High Heavens" etc.

WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS

PREFACE.

It has been my object in these pages to present the life of eachastronomer in such detail as to enable the reader to realise insome degree the man's character and surroundings; and I haveendeavoured to indicate as clearly as circumstances would permitthe main features of the discoveries by which he has become known.

There are many types of astronomers—from the stargazer who merelywatches the heavens, to the abstract mathematician who merelyworks at his desk; it has, consequently, been necessary in thecase of some lives to adopt a very different treatment from thatwhich seemed suitable for others.

While the work was in progress, some of the sketches appeared in"Good Words." The chapter on Brinkley has been chiefly derived froman article on the "History of Dunsink Observatory," which waspublished on the occasion of the tercentenary celebration of theUniversity of Dublin in 1892, and the life of Sir William RowanHamilton is taken, with a few alterations and omissions, from anarticle contributed to the "Quarterly Review" on Graves' life ofthe great mathematician. The remaining chapters now appear forthe first time. For many of the facts contained in the sketch ofthe late Professor Adams, I am indebted to the obituary noticewritten by my friend Dr. J. W. L. Glaisher, for the Royal AstronomicalSociety; while with regard to the late Sir George Airy, I have asimilar acknowledgment to make to Professor H. H. Turner. To myfriend Dr. Arthur A. Rambaut I owe my hearty thanks for hiskindness in aiding me in the revision of the work.

R.S.B.

The Observatory, Cambridge.
October, 1895

CONTENTS.