About the library
Astronomer Royal for Scotland:
The title of Astronomer Royal for Scotland was created in 1834 and formally linked with the post of Regius Professor of Astronomy in the University of Edinburgh.
- Thomas Henderson b. Dundee, Scotland 28 December 1798 d. Edinburgh, Scotland 23 November 1844. Appointed by Royal Warrant of 18 August 1834 and held office September 1834-23 November 1844. Age on appointment: 35
- Charles Piazzi Smyth b. Naples, Italy 3 January 1819 d. Clova, nr. Ripon, England 21 February 1900. Appointed by Royal Warrant of 4 April 1845 and held office January 1846 - August 1888. Age on appointment: 26
- Ralph Copeland b.Moorside, Lancs., England 3 September 1837 d. Edinburgh, Scotland 27 October 1905. Appointed by Royal Warrant of 28 January 1889 and held office 11 April 1889-27 October 1905. Age on appointment: 51
- Sir Frank Watson Dyson b. Measham, nr Ashby de la Zouche, Lincs., England 8 January 1868 d. at sea, 25 May 1939. Appointed by Royal Warrant of 11 December 1905 and held office 13 December 1905-30 September 1910. Age on appointment: 37
- Ralph Allen Sampson b. Skull, Co. Cork, Ireland 25 June 1866 d. Bath, England 7 November 1939. Appointed by Royal Warrant of 15 December 1910 and held office 21 December 1910-30 September 1937. Age on appointment: 44
- (William) Michael (Herbert) Greaves b. Barbados, West Indies, 10 September 1897 d. Edinburgh, Scotland, 24 December 1955. Appointed by Royal Warrant of 8 February 1938 and held office 1 April 1938-24 December 1955. Age on appointment: 40
- Hermann Alexander Brück b. Berlin, Germany 15 August 1905. d. Edinburgh, Scotland, 4 March 2000. Appointed by Royal Warrant of 5 February 1957 and held office 1 September 1957-30 September 1975. Age on appointment: 51
- Vincent Cartledge Reddish b. Leigh, Lancs., England 28 April 1926. Appointed by Royal Warrant of 1 November 1974 and held office 1 October 1975-30 September 1980. Age on appointment: 48
- Malcolm Sim Longair b. Dundee, Scotland 18 May 1941. Appointed by Royal Warrant of 20 February 1980 and held office 1 October 1980-31 December 1990. Age on appointment: 38
The title was in abeyance from 1991 to 1995, during which time the decision was made to separate the posts of Regius Professor of Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh and Director of the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, and the traditional link which had existed between the title of Astronomer Royal for Scotland and the Regius Professorship was also formally severed. The first Astronomer Royal for Scotland under this new system was the Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Glasgow:
- John Campbell Brown b. Dumbarton, Scotland 4 February 1947 Appointed by Royal Warrant of 7 February 1995 and held office 7 February 1995- . Age on appointment: 48
Summary of Archives:
Astronomical Institution of Edinburgh (and earlier) 1764-1834
- Observations and calculations
- Administrative papers
Thomas Henderson 1834-1844
- Correspondence
- Observations and calculations
- Administrative and miscellaneous papers
Charles Piazzi Smyth 1845-1888
- Correspondence
- Observations reductions, instruments
- Spectroscopy
- Meteorology
- Photography
- Publications
- Pyramids
- Administrative and miscellaneous papers
Dunecht: James Ludovic Lindsay 26th Earl of Crawford 1871-1875
- Correspondence
- Observations and calculations
- Publications
- Administrative and miscellaneous papers
- Mauritius expedition 1874-1875
Ralph Copeland 1889-1905
- Correspondence
- Observations and calculations
- Eclipses
- Instruments
- Manuscripts
- Lecture notes
- Meteorology
- Photography
- Administrative and miscellaneous papers
Frank Watson Dyson 1905-1910
- Correspondence
- Observations and calculations
- Administrative and miscellaneous papers
Ralph Allan Sampson 1910-1937
- Correspondence and notes
- Telescopes, observations and calculations
- Transit circle, time service, wireless time
- Clocks and chronometers
- Time IAU correspondence
- Solar spectroscopy
- Photometry and photography
- Calculations
- Meteorology and seismology
- Manuscripts and lecture notes
- Administrative papers and reports
- Papers of A P Norton
Charles Piazzi Smyth Archives
Sketchbooks, manuscripts and printed material: on permanent loan from the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
- Bound volumes of sketches 1835-1853
- Pocket notebooks, journals, notes drawings and watercolours 1832-1841/1852-1886
- Manuscript volumes re teaching of astronomy at the UoE 1850-1855
- 'Lectures journal connected therewith' 1850
- Diaries and student notes on geology and mineralogy by Jessica Duncan (afterwards Mrs. Charles Piazzi Smyth) 1847-1859
- Meteorological records by Mrs. Piazzi Smyth 1859
- Notes on cloud-taking camera 1876, 1892
- Information and notes re the great pyramid 1867-1891
- Posters re the great pyramid and meteorology undated
- Unpublished solar spectra and accompanying manuscript 1891-1892
- Manuscript entitled 'The latest physical geography from Greenland' c. 1850s
- Manuscript and printed material held by Royal Observatory Edinburgh
- Manuscripts on laboratory, solar and auroral spectroscopy and wavelength conversion tables 1892
- Meteorological journals kept by Mrs. Piazzi Smyth in Edinburgh 1876-1888
- Meteorological diagrams 1886
- Printed spectroscopic atlases 1880, 1890 etc.
- List of recipients of volume 15 of Royal Observatory Edinburgh 1863
- Manuscript entitled 'Conjugate foci for large Steinheil 10.86 inch solar focus lens computed at Clova' 1894
- Album case of solar spectra 1891-1892
Photographic plates
- Photographic plates of Tenerife 1856
- Photographic plates of the Isle of May 1858
- Photographic plates of Russia1859
- Photographic plates of Egypt 1864
- Photographic plates of Edinburgh and the Moon 1854-1876
- Photographic plates of clouds in motion 1876
- Photographic plates of ferns 1875-1876
- Photographic plates of Clova cloud photographs 1892-1896
- Photographic plates of solar spectra 1889-1892
- Lantern slides 1900-1908 Prints of clouds photographs 1892-1896
Slides, engravings
- Slides, watercolours etc.
- Slide of flower and insect
- Moving slides for children
- Watercolours, engravings and prints by various artists
Miscellaneous
- Copy of Charles Piazzi Smyth's death certificate 1900
- Sale catalogue of contents of Charles Piazzi Smyth's house after his death 1900