Edmond Halley
-8.jpg)
Edmond Halley | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Edmond Halley | |
| Born | 8 November 1656 |
| Died | 14 January 1742 (aged 85) |
| Nationality | English |
| Alma mater | The Queen's College, Oxford |
| Known for | Halley's Comet, Halley's method, Halley’s law |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Astronomy, Geophysics, Mathematics, Meteorology, Physics |
| Academic advisors | John Flamsteed |
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[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
In mathematics, Halley is known for Halley's method, an iterative numerical method for finding the roots of equations.
Later Life and Death[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
