Professor John C. Brown
10th Astronomer Royal for Scotland
Astronomer Royal for Scotland
1. History of Astronomer Royal for Scotland
4. The Coat of Arms (Armorial Bearings) of the Astronomer Royal for Scotland
1. History of Astronomer Royal for Scotland
For a detailed account of how the post of Astronomer Royal for Scotland came into being in 1834, see A History of Astronomy in Edinburgh by H&M Bruck. For a list of the 10 incumbents to date, and their summary credentials, see the ROE website. Note that of these ten only three have been Scots by birth (Henderson, Longair, Brown), the only conditions on retention of the title being : normally resident in Scotland; active in astronomy, under age 67. At the time of the creation of the title it was pronounced that "The office of Astronomer Royal be ever hereafter associated with the Professorship of Practical Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh". But, in these fast moving modern times, even 'ever hereafter' is a very transient concept.
The title was in abeyance from 1991 to 1995, during which time the decision was made to separate the posts of Regius Professor of Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh and Director of the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, and the traditional link which had existed between the title of Astronomer Royal for Scotland and the Regius Professorship was also formally severed. I was the first Astronomer Royal for Scotland under this new system and was at that time Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Glasgow. This separation had already happened to the Astronomer Royal post in the 1970's in that the selection of the appointee was not restricted to the Royal Greenwich Observatory. The resulting dissociation of the work of ROE from that of the Astronomer Royal for Scotland is in some respects regrettable though an independent voice in Scotland for astronomy, has its plus side.
Four Astronomers Royal for Scotland in 1998
The image below shows the four Astronomers Royal for Scotland extant in 1998 (from the left – Reddish, Longair, Brown, Bruck - H. Bruck image inserted) on the occasion of the opening of the UKATC, in front of what was at one time the house of the ARfS. Also shown is a 1999 Cornwall Solar Eclipse first day cover, signed by all four.
ASTRONOMERS ROYAL for SCOTLAND 1998
(Left to right)
Prof. V.C. Reddish OBE (8th) 1975 - 80
Prof. M.S. Longair OBE (9th) 1980 - 90
Prof. J.C. Brown (10th) 1995-
Profe. H.A. Brück CBE (7th) 1957 - 75
1.History of Astronomer Royal for Scotland 2.Other Astronomers Royal
3.The Warrant 4.The Coat of Arms 5. The One O'Clock Gun
2. Other Astronomers Royal
The Astronomer Royal (1675- ) and the Royal Astronomer of Ireland (1783-19 ) pre-date the Astronomer Royal for Scotland. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/astronomer_royal
Portraits of Astronomers Royal (1675- )
Astronomers Royal for Scotland (1834 - )
The 14th Astronomer Royal, Sir Arnold Wolfendale, and I enjoyed a number of events together including an amateur Scottish Astronomers Weekend at Stirling and the opening of the Glasgow Node of STARLINK (RIP) where he helped me with some magic.
1.History of Astronomer Royal for Scotland 2.Other Astronomers Royal
3.The Warrant 4.The Coat of Arms 5. The One O'Clock Gun
3. The Royal Warrant
Astronomer Royal appointments like Regius Chairs etc. are made by Royal Warrant
1.History of Astronomer Royal for Scotland 2.Other Astronomers Royal
3.The Warrant 4.The Coat of Arms 5. The One O'Clock Gun
4. The Coat of Arms (Armorial Bearings) of the Astronomer Royal for Scotland
The computer-generated Arms view larger version of the coat of arms
It came as a slight surprise to me, on appointment as 10th ARfS, that no associated 'Coat of Arms' had ever been devised.and, being of an artistic bent, I thought it might be an interesting challenge to devise such. This proved to be both good fun and highly educational, revealing the astonishing number of bodies and people who do have official arms and some cases of august bodies whose grand coats of arms have no formal approval. For anyone interested solely in the final 'arms' a copy of the Petition, August 14 1996 is shown above, as is my computer drawn version on which this is based. The basic symbolism of the Royal crown surmounting the Saltire flag of Scotland surmounting the Orion constellation (a personal favourite) and two historic Scottish telescopes (James Short of Edingurgh) is obvious. Less obvious may be the facts that Orion has been drawn to suggest a '?' (when Rigel is ignored) while the 'pale Or' is also a capital 'pi' and a schematic megalith. These touches were intended to portray the philosophical theoretical, and archaeological aspects of Scottish astronomy.
The gold ring (below) with the Astronomer Royal for Scotland Coat of Arms made for me by Clarksons of Edinburgh.
1.History of Astronomer Royal for Scotland 2.Other Astronomers Royal
5. The One O'Clock Gun
One of the numerous undertakings of Charles Piazzi Smyth as Second Astronomer Royal for Scotland (see The Peripatetic Astronomer by H&M Bruck) was the establishment of the One O'Clock Gun on Edinburgh Castle. Originally a nautical and civil time-keeping aid for the Port of Leith, Edinburgh, and surroundings, the Gun is now a world famous Edinburgh Visitor attraction as was the Gunner of longest standing and greatest acclaim - the late Staff Sargeant Tom McKay (Tam the Gun). For further information see the Website of the One O’Clock Gun Association and Tam McKay's delightful book, At what time is the Edinburgh One O'Clock Gun Fired? I had the good fortune to befriend Tam via the ARfS context in the first instance, and was privileged to be with my wife as Tam’s guests at a firing. In late 2004 Tam was diagnosed with cancer to which he eventually succumbed, after a stalwart fight, in late 2005. Not long before the end, I was fortunate in being able to fulfil one of Tam’s lifelong wishes to see the Harrison clocks and Horology Dept (courtesy of Jonathan Betts) at the NMM Royal Observatory Greenwich. Thereafter, Tam and his wife Joyce were guests at a Time and Space Project dinner at NMM ROG. My wife and I were also honoured to be present at the naming of the GNER Locomotive Tam the Gun.
1.History of Astronomer Royal for Scotland 2.Other Astronomers Royal
3.The Warrant 4.The Coat of Arms 5. The One O'Clock Gun
1.History of Astronomer Royal for Scotland 2.Other Astronomers Royal
3.The Warrant 4.The Coat of Arms 5. The One O'Clock Gun
