John Smith (astronomer)
Encyclopedia
John Smith was a British academic and astronomer.
His father was an attorney named Henry Smith and his mother was Elizabeth Johnson. He was born in Coltishall
, Norfolk
and was educated at Norwich Grammar School and at Eton
.
He was admitted to Caius College
, Cambridge University in 1732. He received a B.A.
in 1735/6 and an M.A. in 1739.
He was successively dean (1744–1749), bursar (1750–1753), and president of the college (1754–1764). He was Master of Caius
from 1764 to 1795, and Lowndean Professor of Astronomy from 1771 to 1795.
He was ordained in 1739. He installed a transit telescope
above his college ante-chapel.
He does not seem to have left any scientific papers or given any lectures.
His father was an attorney named Henry Smith and his mother was Elizabeth Johnson. He was born in Coltishall
Coltishall
Coltishall is a village on the River Bure, west of Wroxham, in the English county of Norfolk, within the Norfolk Broads.Coltishall was a place of note even when the Domesday Book was compiled. For 250 years it was a centre of the malting industry...
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
and was educated at Norwich Grammar School and at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
.
He was admitted to Caius College
Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Gonville and Caius College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college is often referred to simply as "Caius" , after its second founder, John Keys, who fashionably latinised the spelling of his name after studying in Italy.- Outline :Gonville and...
, Cambridge University in 1732. He received a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1735/6 and an M.A. in 1739.
He was successively dean (1744–1749), bursar (1750–1753), and president of the college (1754–1764). He was Master of Caius
Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Gonville and Caius College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college is often referred to simply as "Caius" , after its second founder, John Keys, who fashionably latinised the spelling of his name after studying in Italy.- Outline :Gonville and...
from 1764 to 1795, and Lowndean Professor of Astronomy from 1771 to 1795.
He was ordained in 1739. He installed a transit telescope
Meridian circle
The meridian circle, transit circle, or transit telescope is an instrument for observing the time of stars passing the meridian, at the same time measuring its angular distance from the zenith...
above his college ante-chapel.
He does not seem to have left any scientific papers or given any lectures.