William Edward Wilson (astronomer)
Encyclopedia
William Edward Wilson was an Irish astronomer.
He was born the only son of John and Frances Wilson of Daramona House, Streete, County Westmeath, Ireland and was privately educated.
He became interested in astronomy and travelled to Oran in 1870 to photograph the solar eclipse. In 1871 he acquired a reflecting telecope of 12 inches (30.5 cm) aperture and set it up in a dome in the gardens of Daramona House. He used it to experiment on the photography of the moon with wet plates and also began to study solar radiation using thermopiles. In 1881, he replaced the original telescope with a Grubb reflector of 24 inches (61 cm) aperture and a new dome and mounting that had an electrically controlled clock drive. The new telescope was mounted in a two-storey tower attached to the house with an attached physical laboratory, darkroom and machine shop.
Wilson’s main research efforts, in partnership with P.L. Gray, was to determine the temperature of the sun using a “differential radio-micrometer” of the sort developed by C.V. Boys in 1889, which combined a bolometer and galvanometer into one instrument. The result of their measurements was an effective temperature of about 8000°C for the sun which, after correction to deal with absorption in the earth’s atmosphere, gave a value of 6590°C, compared to the modern value of 6075°C.
Other astromical projects included observations on the transit of Venus, determination of stellar motion, observations of sunspots and a trip to Spain to photograph a solar eclipse. He took a great many excellent photographs of celestial bodies such as nebulae. His astronomical findings were published in a series of memoirs such as Experimental Observations on the Effective Temperature of the Sun.
He was elected a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society
in 1875 and a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1896. He was also appointed High Sheriff of Westmeath
for 1894.
He died relatively young at Daramona at the age of 56 and was buried in the family plot in Steete churchyard. He had married in 1886 Caroline Ada, the daughter of Capt. R.C. Granville and had a son and two daughters. His son donated his telescope to London University, where it was used for research and teaching, finally becoming a feature in Liverpool museum.
He was born the only son of John and Frances Wilson of Daramona House, Streete, County Westmeath, Ireland and was privately educated.
He became interested in astronomy and travelled to Oran in 1870 to photograph the solar eclipse. In 1871 he acquired a reflecting telecope of 12 inches (30.5 cm) aperture and set it up in a dome in the gardens of Daramona House. He used it to experiment on the photography of the moon with wet plates and also began to study solar radiation using thermopiles. In 1881, he replaced the original telescope with a Grubb reflector of 24 inches (61 cm) aperture and a new dome and mounting that had an electrically controlled clock drive. The new telescope was mounted in a two-storey tower attached to the house with an attached physical laboratory, darkroom and machine shop.
Wilson’s main research efforts, in partnership with P.L. Gray, was to determine the temperature of the sun using a “differential radio-micrometer” of the sort developed by C.V. Boys in 1889, which combined a bolometer and galvanometer into one instrument. The result of their measurements was an effective temperature of about 8000°C for the sun which, after correction to deal with absorption in the earth’s atmosphere, gave a value of 6590°C, compared to the modern value of 6075°C.
Other astromical projects included observations on the transit of Venus, determination of stellar motion, observations of sunspots and a trip to Spain to photograph a solar eclipse. He took a great many excellent photographs of celestial bodies such as nebulae. His astronomical findings were published in a series of memoirs such as Experimental Observations on the Effective Temperature of the Sun.
He was elected 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...
in 1875 and a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1896. He was also appointed High Sheriff of Westmeath
High Sheriff of Westmeath
The High Sheriff of Westmeath was the British Crown’s judicial representative in County Westmeath, Ireland from its creation under The Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act of 1543 until 1922, when the office was abolished in the new Free State and replaced by the office of Westmeath County Sheriff...
for 1894.
He died relatively young at Daramona at the age of 56 and was buried in the family plot in Steete churchyard. He had married in 1886 Caroline Ada, the daughter of Capt. R.C. Granville and had a son and two daughters. His son donated his telescope to London University, where it was used for research and teaching, finally becoming a feature in Liverpool museum.