T. H. E. C. Espin
Encyclopedia
The Reverend Thomas Henry Espinell Compton Espin or T. H. E. C. Espin (28 May 1858 – 2 December 1934) was a British astronomer
. His father Thomas Espin was Chancellor of the Diocese of Chester.
He became interested in astronomy
by the appearance of "Coggia
's Comet" (C/1874 H1).
He was an avid amateur astronomer and skilled observer. In 1876 he made the acquaintance of Rev. Thomas William Webb
and assisted with the compilation of the famous book Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes; after Webb's death he published expanded 5th and 6th editions of it. He discovered many nebula
s, variable star
s, and more than 2500 double star
s. He made many observations of the spectra of stars, and in particular he also did extensive searches for red stars (especially in his early career) and published a catalogue of them.
He became a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society
on 11 January 1878. He was awarded the Jackson-Gwilt Medal
of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1913.
He discovered Nova Lacertae 1910.
His other amateur scientific interests included botany
, geology
and the study of X rays; his study of fossil
s caused him to disbelieve Darwin
's theory of evolution
.
In 1888 he became Vicar of Tow Law
and held this post until his death. He also served as a county magistrate for 35 years beginning in 1891 and was Chairman of Stanhope
and Wolsingham
Sessions. He never married.
The crater Espin
on the Moon
is named after him.
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
. His father Thomas Espin was Chancellor of the Diocese of Chester.
He became interested in astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
by the appearance of "Coggia
Jérôme Eugène Coggia
Jérôme Eugène Coggia was a 19th-century French astronomer.Working in Marseille, he discovered a number of comets, including the bright "Coggia's Comet" . The periodic comet 27P/Crommelin was previously called "Comet Pons-Coggia-Winnecke-Forbes". In 1916 he was awarded the Lalande Prize of the...
's Comet" (C/1874 H1).
He was an avid amateur astronomer and skilled observer. In 1876 he made the acquaintance of Rev. Thomas William Webb
Thomas William Webb
The Reverend Thomas William Webb was a British astronomer. Some sources give his year of birth as 1806. The only son of a clergyman, the Rev. John Webb, he was raised and educated by his father, his mother having died while Thomas was a small child. He went to Oxford where he attended Magdalen...
and assisted with the compilation of the famous book Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes; after Webb's death he published expanded 5th and 6th editions of it. He discovered many nebula
Nebula
A nebula is an interstellar cloud of dust, hydrogen gas, helium gas and other ionized gases...
s, variable star
Variable star
A star is classified as variable if its apparent magnitude as seen from Earth changes over time, whether the changes are due to variations in the star's actual luminosity, or to variations in the amount of the star's light that is blocked from reaching Earth...
s, and more than 2500 double star
Double star
In observational astronomy, a double star is a pair of stars that appear close to each other in the sky as seen from Earth when viewed through an optical telescope. This can happen either because the pair forms a binary star, i.e...
s. He made many observations of the spectra of stars, and in particular he also did extensive searches for red stars (especially in his early career) and published a catalogue of them.
He became a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society
Royal Astronomical Society
The Royal Astronomical Society is a learned society that began as the Astronomical Society of London in 1820 to support astronomical research . It became the Royal Astronomical Society in 1831 on receiving its Royal Charter from William IV...
on 11 January 1878. He was awarded the Jackson-Gwilt Medal
Jackson-Gwilt Medal
The Jackson-Gwilt Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society has been awarded regularly since 1897 for the invention, improvement, or development of astronomical instrumentation or techniques; for achievement in observational astronomy; or for achievement in research into the history of astronomy.The...
of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1913.
He discovered Nova Lacertae 1910.
His other amateur scientific interests included botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
, geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
and the study of X rays; his study of fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
s caused him to disbelieve Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
's theory of evolution
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
.
In 1888 he became Vicar of Tow Law
Tow Law
Tow Law is a town and civil parish in County Durham, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 1,952. It is situated a few miles to the south of Consett. Tow Law Town football team are based in the town. The town constituted an urban district from 1894 until 1974...
and held this post until his death. He also served as a county magistrate for 35 years beginning in 1891 and was Chairman of Stanhope
Stanhope, County Durham
Stanhope is a small market town in County Durham, in England. It is situated on the River Wear between Eastgate and Frosterley on the north side of Weardale. The A689 trans-Pennine road meets the B6278 road from Barnard Castle to Shotley Bridge here....
and Wolsingham
Wolsingham
Wolsingham is a small market town in Weardale, County Durham, England. It is situated by the River Wear, between Crook and Stanhope in North West Durham.-History:Wolsingham sits at the confluence of the River Wear and Waskerley Beck...
Sessions. He never married.
The crater Espin
Espin (crater)
Espin is a lunar crater that lies on the far side of the Moon, just beyond the northeastern limb. It lies to the west-southwest of the larger crater Seyfert, and northwest of Deutsch....
on the Moon
Moon
The 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...
is named after him.