Edmond Halley

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English astronomer, geophysicist, mathematician, meteorologist, and physicist

Edmond Halley

Portrait of Edmond Halley

Born	8 November 1656
Birth place	Haggerston, Middlesex, England
Died	14 January 1742 (aged 85)
Place of death	Greenwich, Kent, England
Nationality	English
Known for	Halley's Comet, Halley's method, Halley’s law

Edmond Halley (8 November 1656 – 14 January 1742) was an English astronomer, geophysicist, mathematician, meteorologist, and physicist. He is best known for computing the orbit of Halley's Comet, which was later named after him.

Early Life and Education

Halley was born in Haggerston, Middlesex, England. He attended St Paul's School and then The Queen's College, Oxford. During his time at Oxford, he was mentored by John Flamsteed, the first Astronomer Royal.

Career

In 1676, Halley embarked on a voyage to the island of Saint Helena to catalog the stars of the Southern Hemisphere. His work there earned him a fellowship of the Royal Society at the age of 22.

Contributions to Astronomy

Halley is most famous for his prediction of the return of the comet that now bears his name, Halley's Comet. He used Newton's laws of motion to compute the orbit of the comet and correctly predicted its return in 1758.

Geophysics and Meteorology

Halley made significant contributions to the fields of geophysics and meteorology. He conducted studies on the magnetic field of the Earth and published the first chart showing the trade winds and monsoons.

Mathematics

In mathematics, Halley is known for Halley's method, an iterative numerical method for finding the roots of equations.

Later Life and Death

Halley served as the Astronomer Royal from 1720 until his death in 1742. He was buried in the churchyard of St Margaret's, Lee in Lewisham, London.

Legacy

Halley's work laid the foundation for future astronomical research. Halley's Comet remains one of the most well-known comets, and his methods and discoveries continue to influence the fields of astronomy, geophysics, and meteorology.

Related Pages

• Halley's Comet
• Astronomer Royal
• John Flamsteed
• Isaac Newton
• Royal Society