Joseph Norman Lockyer
Encyclopedia
Sir Joseph Norman Lockyer, FRS (17 May 1836 – 16 August 1920), known simply as Norman Lockyer, was an English
scientist and astronomer. Along with the French scientist Pierre Janssen he is credited with discovering the gas helium
. Lockyer also is remembered for being the founder and first editor of the influential journal Nature
.
, Warwickshire
. After a conventional schooling supplemented by travel in Switzerland and France, he worked for some years as a civil servant in the British War office
. He settled in Wimbledon, South London after marrying Winifred James. A keen amateur astronomer
with a particular interest in the Sun
, Lockyer eventually became Director of the Solar Physics Observatory in Kensington
London.
In the 1860s Lockyer became fascinated by electromagnetic spectroscopy as an analytical tool for determining the composition of heavenly bodies. He conducted his research from his new home in West Hampstead, with a 6¼ inch telescope which he already used Wimbledon. With a wavelength of about 588 nm, slightly less than the so-called "D" lines of sodium. the line could not be explained as due to any material known at the time, and so it was suggested by Lockyer that the yellow line was caused by an unknown solar element. He named this element helium
after the Greek word 'Helios' meaning 'sun'. An observation of the new yellow line also was made by Janssen at the same eclipse, and so he and Lockyer usually are awarded joint credit for helium's discovery. Terrestrial helium was found about 10 years later by William Ramsay
. In his work on the identification of helium, Lockyer collaborated with the noted chemist Edward Frankland
.
To facilitate the transmission of ideas between scientific disciplines, Lockyer established the general science journal Nature
in 1869. He remained its editor until shortly before his death.
Lockyer led eight expeditions to observe solar eclipses for example in 1870 to Sicily
, 1871 to India
and 1898 to India
.
After his retirement in 1911, Lockyer established an observatory near his home in Salcombe Regis
near Sidmouth
, Devon
. Originally known as the Hill Observatory, the site was renamed the Norman Lockyer Observatory
after his death. For a time the observatory was a part of the University of Exeter
, but is now owned by the East Devon District Council, and run by the Norman Lockyer Observatory Society. The Norman Lockyer Chair in Astrophysics
at the University of Exeter
is currently held by Professor Tim Naylor, who is the member of the Astrophysics group there which studies star formation
and extrasolar planets.
Lockyer died at his home in Salcombe Regis in 1920, and was buried there in the churchyard of St Peter and St Mary.
(1894)
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
scientist and astronomer. Along with the French scientist Pierre Janssen he is credited with discovering the gas helium
Helium
Helium is the chemical element with atomic number 2 and an atomic weight of 4.002602, which is represented by the symbol He. It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, inert, monatomic gas that heads the noble gas group in the periodic table...
. Lockyer also is remembered for being the founder and first editor of the influential journal Nature
Nature (journal)
Nature, first published on 4 November 1869, is ranked the world's most cited interdisciplinary scientific journal by the Science Edition of the 2010 Journal Citation Reports...
.
Biography
Lockyer was born in RugbyRugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
. After a conventional schooling supplemented by travel in Switzerland and France, he worked for some years as a civil servant in the British War office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
. He settled in Wimbledon, South London after marrying Winifred James. A keen amateur astronomer
Amateur astronomy
Amateur astronomy, also called backyard astronomy and stargazing, is a hobby whose participants enjoy watching the night sky , and the plethora of objects found in it, mainly with portable telescopes and binoculars...
with a particular interest in the Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
, Lockyer eventually became Director of the Solar Physics Observatory in Kensington
Kensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
London.
In the 1860s Lockyer became fascinated by electromagnetic spectroscopy as an analytical tool for determining the composition of heavenly bodies. He conducted his research from his new home in West Hampstead, with a 6¼ inch telescope which he already used Wimbledon. With a wavelength of about 588 nm, slightly less than the so-called "D" lines of sodium. the line could not be explained as due to any material known at the time, and so it was suggested by Lockyer that the yellow line was caused by an unknown solar element. He named this element helium
Helium
Helium is the chemical element with atomic number 2 and an atomic weight of 4.002602, which is represented by the symbol He. It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, inert, monatomic gas that heads the noble gas group in the periodic table...
after the Greek word 'Helios' meaning 'sun'. An observation of the new yellow line also was made by Janssen at the same eclipse, and so he and Lockyer usually are awarded joint credit for helium's discovery. Terrestrial helium was found about 10 years later by William Ramsay
William Ramsay
Sir William Ramsay was a Scottish chemist who discovered the noble gases and received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1904 "in recognition of his services in the discovery of the inert gaseous elements in air" .-Early years:Ramsay was born in Glasgow on 2...
. In his work on the identification of helium, Lockyer collaborated with the noted chemist Edward Frankland
Edward Frankland
Sir Edward Frankland, KCB, FRS was a chemist, one of the foremost of his day. He was an expert in water quality and analysis, and originated the concept of combining power, or valence, in chemistry. He was also one of the originators of organometallic chemistry.-Biography:Edward Frankland was born...
.
To facilitate the transmission of ideas between scientific disciplines, Lockyer established the general science journal Nature
Nature (journal)
Nature, first published on 4 November 1869, is ranked the world's most cited interdisciplinary scientific journal by the Science Edition of the 2010 Journal Citation Reports...
in 1869. He remained its editor until shortly before his death.
Lockyer led eight expeditions to observe solar eclipses for example in 1870 to Sicily
Solar eclipse of December 22, 1870
A total solar eclipse occurred on December 22, 1870. Totality was visible from southern Portugal and Spain, across northern Algeria, then crossing Sicily, Greece, Bulgaria, and ending in Ukraine.- Observations :From Syracuse by Captain G. I...
, 1871 to India
Solar eclipse of December 12, 1871
A total solar eclipse occurred on December 12, 1871. -References:* ** ** * * by Mabel Loomis Todd, 1900...
and 1898 to India
Solar eclipse of January 22, 1898
A total solar eclipse occurred on January 22, 1898. It was visible across central Africa, and into India and Asia.-Observations:-References:* ** **...
.
After his retirement in 1911, Lockyer established an observatory near his home in Salcombe Regis
Salcombe Regis
Salcombe Regis is a coastal village in Devon, England, near to Sidmouth. It is often confused with Salcombe, which is some distance away in Devon.Mentioned in the Domesday Book as " a manor called Selcoma" held by Bishop Osbern of Exeter, the manor house being on the site now occupied by Thorn Farm...
near Sidmouth
Sidmouth
Sidmouth is a small town on the English Channel coast in Devon, South West England. The town lies at the mouth of the River Sid in the East Devon district, south east of Exeter. It has a population of about 15,000, of whom 40% are over 65....
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
. Originally known as the Hill Observatory, the site was renamed the Norman Lockyer Observatory
Lockyer Observatory and Planetarium
The Norman Lockyer Observatory and Planetarium is a planetarium and a public access optical observatory in East Devon on the Jurassic Coast of South West England.- Location and instruments :...
after his death. For a time the observatory was a part of the University of Exeter
University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a public university in South West England. It belongs to the 1994 Group, an association of 19 of the United Kingdom's smaller research-intensive universities....
, but is now owned by the East Devon District Council, and run by the Norman Lockyer Observatory Society. The Norman Lockyer Chair in Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as their interactions and behavior...
at the University of Exeter
University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a public university in South West England. It belongs to the 1994 Group, an association of 19 of the United Kingdom's smaller research-intensive universities....
is currently held by Professor Tim Naylor, who is the member of the Astrophysics group there which studies star formation
Star formation
Star formation is the process by which dense parts of molecular clouds collapse into a ball of plasma to form a star. As a branch of astronomy star formation includes the study of the interstellar medium and giant molecular clouds as precursors to the star formation process and the study of young...
and extrasolar planets.
Lockyer died at his home in Salcombe Regis in 1920, and was buried there in the churchyard of St Peter and St Mary.
Publications
(1868–94)- Questions on Astronomy (1870) (1873) (1873) (1878) (1878)
- Report to the Committee on Solar Physics on the Basic Lines Common to Spots and Prominences (1880) (1887) (1887) (1890)
- Penrose, F.C.Francis PenroseFrancis Cranmer Penrose FRS was an English rower, architect, archaeologist and astronomer.-Early life:...
, (communicated by Joseph Norman Lockyer), The Orientation of Greek Temples, NatureNature (journal)Nature, first published on 4 November 1869, is ranked the world's most cited interdisciplinary scientific journal by the Science Edition of the 2010 Journal Citation Reports...
, v.48, n.1228, May 11, 1893, pp. 42–43
(1894)
- The Rules of Golf: Being the St. Andrews Rules for the Game (1896), with William Rutherford (1897)
- Recent and Coming Eclipses (1900) (1900) (1903)
- Stonehenge and Other British Stone Monuments Astronomically Considered (1906; second edition, 1909) (1907) (1909) (1910)
Honours and awards
- Fellow of the Royal Society (1869)
- Janssen Medal, Paris Academy of Science (1875)
- Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (1897)
- President, British Association (1903 – 1904)
- The crater LockyerLockyer (lunar crater)Lockyer is a lunar crater that is located along the western wall of the large walled plain Janssen. This crater is roughly circular with a slight outward bulge along the eastern side. The edge of the rim is only lightly eroded, with an indentation in the side to the north-northwest...
on the MoonMoonThe Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
and the crater Lockyer on MarsMarsMars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
are both named after him.
External links
- Norman Lockyer Observatory & James Lockyer Planetarium
- Archives of the Norman Lockyer Observatory (University of Exeter)
- Norman Lockyer Observatory radio station in Sidmouth
- Certificate of candidacy for Lockyer's election to the Royal Society
- Brief biography of Lockyer by Chris Plicht
- Prof. Tim Naylor, Norman Lockyer Professor of Astrophysics
- Astrophysics Group, University of Exeter
- The 1871 solar eclipse