Editing Astronomer Royal (section)

== History ==
The post was created by [[Charles II of England|Charles II]] in 1675, at the same time as he founded the [[Royal Observatory, Greenwich]]. He appointed [[John Flamsteed]], instructing him "{{sic|hide=y|forthwith to apply himself with the most exact care and diligence to the rectifying 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 the art of navigation}}."<ref>F Baily, "An Account of the Rev. John Flamsteed", reprinted in [https://books.google.com/books?id=48L1w21XYI4C&pg=PA293 vol. 28, at p. 293]. "The Museum of foreign literature, science and art", R Walsh et al., publ. E Litell, 1836.</ref><ref name="forbes1975">{{cite book |last=Forbes |first=Eric G. |title=Greenwich Observatory, volume 1: Origins and Early History (1675–1835) |date=1975 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |location=London |bibcode=1975gosb.book.....F}}</ref><ref name="mccrea_rgo_1975">{{cite book |last=McCrea |first=William Hunter |title=Royal Greenwich Observatory : an Historical Review Issued on the Occasion of its Tercentenary |date=1975 |publisher=Her Majesty's Stationery Office |location=London |bibcode=1975rgo..book.....M}}</ref> The first six Astronomer Royals dedicated themselves primarily to this task and focused on astronomical observations that would benefit navigation.<ref name=":52"/>

The astronomer royal was director of the [[Royal Observatory, Greenwich]] from the establishment of the post in 1675 until 1972. The astronomer royal became an honorary title in 1972 without executive responsibilities, and a separate post of [[director of the Royal Greenwich Observatory]] was created to manage the institution.<ref name="mccrea_rgo_1975" /><ref name="meadows1975">{{cite book |last=Meadows |first=A. J. |title=Greenwich Observatory, volume 2: Recent History (1836–1975) |date=1975 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |location=London |bibcode=1975gosb.book.....F}}</ref>

The origin of the title Astronomer Royal is unknown.<ref name=":05">{{Cite journal |last=Lovell |first=Bernard |date=1994 |title=The Royal Society, the Royal Greenwich Observatory and the Astronomer Royal |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/532168 |journal=Notes and Records of the Royal Society of London |volume=48 |issue=2 |pages=283–297 |doi=10.1098/rsnr.1994.0029 |jstor=532168 |issn=0035-9149}}</ref> Although Flamsteed is widely considered the first Astronomer Royal, he was never appointed with the title and only referred to in the Warrant to Ordinance as "Our Astronomical Observer".<ref name=":05" />  Similar language was used to appoint all the Astronomers Royal until 1881 with [[William Christie (astronomer)|William Christie]]'s appointment. The term Astronomer Royal did not become commonly used until the late 18th Century while the Royal Warrants still used "Our Astronomical Observer".<ref name=":05" /> Other titles such as Royal Professor at Greenwich were also used in less formal documents during this time.<ref name=":05" />

In 1703, [[Isaac Newton]] was elected President of the Royal Society and was upset with the lack of publications coming from the Greenwich Observatory under Flamsteed.<ref name=":15">{{Cite book |last=Ronan |first=Colin |title=Astronomers Royal |date=1969 |publisher=Doubleday and Company |isbn= |location=New York |pages=43–44}}</ref> This eventually led to Queen Anne's Warrant of 1710 where members of the [[Royal Society]] were appointed as the Board of Visitors to the Royal Observatory to oversee Flamsteed.<ref name=":05"/> The original Board of Visitors consisted entirely of associates and allies of Newton which enraged Flamsteed.<ref name=":15"/>

In 1765, the [[Board of Longitude]] decided that the Astronomer Royal's observations were the property of the Crown and must be printed and published each year.<ref name=":44">Ronan, Colin (1969). ''Astronomers Royal''. New York: Doubleday and Company. pp. 44-45.</ref> John Pond and subsequent Astronomers Royal elected to publish their findings quarterly instead.<ref name="forbes19752">{{cite book |last=Forbes |first=Eric G. |title=Greenwich Observatory, volume 1: Origins and Early History (1675–1835) |date=1975 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |location=London |pages=176 |bibcode=1975gosb.book.....F}}</ref>

Sir [[George Biddell Airy|George Airy]] transformed the position from its original purpose of improving navigation to conducting more general astronomical and scientific research.<ref name=":62">{{Cite book |last=Maunder |first=E. Walter |title=The Royal Observatory Greenwich |publisher=The Religious Tract Society |year=1900 |location=London, England |pages=113–114}}</ref>  With approval from the Board of Visitors in 1836, Airy created a Magnetic and Meteorological Department in the Royal Observatory Greenwich. Following this, in 1873 he created the Solar Photography Department.<ref name=":62" />

Astronomers Royal are responsible for many different discoveries and theories. They had several assistants who aided in their research at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. The most important position was that of the computers or people that would perform all the mathematical computations behind the astronomers' observations. Many of these computers were women, but they were often left out of articles and books, thus leaving them out of most common historical sources.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Mullen |first=Kane |date=2020 |title=Temporary Measures: Women Computers at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, 1890–1895 |url=https://data.isiscb.org/isis/citation/CBB011712539/ |journal=Journal for the History of Astronomy |volume=51 |issue=1 |pages=88–121 |doi=10.1177/0021828620901358|bibcode=2020JHA....51...88M }}</ref>

Originally, the Astronomer Royal had one assistant but increased to six during [[John Pond]]'s appointment as Astronomer Royal'''.'''<ref name="forbes19752" /> The astronomer royal today receives a [[stipend]] of 100 [[GBP]] per year and is a member of the [[royal household]], under the general authority of the [[Lord Chamberlain]]. After the separation of the two offices of Astronomer Royal and Director of the Royal Greenwich Observatory, the position of astronomer royal has been largely honorary, although the holder remains available to advise the Sovereign on astronomical and related scientific matters,<ref name="monarchywebsite">{{cite web
 | url = http://www.royal.gov.uk/TheRoyalHousehold/OfficialRoyalposts/AstronomerRoyal.aspx
 | title = Astronomer Royal
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160308012357/http://www.royal.gov.uk/TheRoyalHousehold/OfficialRoyalposts/AstronomerRoyal.aspx
 | archive-date = 2016-03-08
 | website = [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|The British Monarchy]]
 | publisher = [[Royal Households of the United Kingdom|Royal Household]] 
 | url-status = dead
 | access-date = 2017-06-23
}}</ref> and the office is of great prestige.

There was formerly a [[Royal Astronomer of Ireland]] who was also the Andrew's Professor of Astronomy at the University of Dublin.<ref name=":23">{{Cite journal |last=Wayman |first=P.A. |date=March 1986 |title=The Andrews Professors of Astronomy and Dunsink Observatory, 1785-1985 |url=https://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1986IrAJ...17..167W |access-date=2024-03-08 |journal=Irish Astronomical Journal|volume=17 |page=167 |bibcode=1986IrAJ...17..167W }}</ref> Both became vacant in 1921 with Irish Independence but a new Andrew's Professor of Astronomy was appointed in 1985.<ref name=":23" />