Key Takeaways:
- John Flamsteed (1646-1719), despite limited formal education, became a significant figure in astronomy due to his independent studies.
- Flamsteed's involvement in evaluating a proposed solution to the longitude problem highlighted the critical need for improved astronomical data for navigation.
- Flamsteed's advocacy led to the establishment of the Royal Greenwich Observatory in 1675, with his appointment as the first Astronomer Royal.
- His extensive star catalog, comprising over 3,000 entries, achieved remarkable accuracy, resulting in some designations remaining in use today.
On Aug. 19, 1646, John Flamsteed was born in Derbyshire, England. Though he left school early due to illness and family obligations, he studied astronomy independently and eventually attended Cambridge University. European maritime trade was rapidly expanding during his lifetime, yet sailors still struggled with the longitude problem – north-south distance was easy to calculate while at sea, but east-west was not. Flamsteed was part of a committee that analyzed French astronomer Sieur de St Pierre’s solution to the problem in 1674. Though they found the solution to not be viable, Flamsteed subsequently submitted a report to Royal Society, arguing that England needed a new observatory where a solution to the longitude problem and other astronomical mysteries could be studied. King Charles II founded the Royal Greenwich Observatory in 1675 as a result, and appointed Flamsteed the first astronomer royal. The king’s instructions were for Flamsteed to “rectify the tables of the motions of the heavens, and the places of the fixed stars, so as to find out the so much desired longitude of places for the perfecting of the art of navigation.” Flamsteed went on to catalog over 3,000 stars; his accuracy was such that some of his designations are still used today.
