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Richard WoolleyEnglish astronomer.
Date of Birth: 26.04.1906
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
- Sir Richard van der Riet Woolley, English Astronomer
- Astronomical Career
- Mount Stromlo Observatory
- Royal Greenwich Observatory
- South African Astronomical Observatory
- Research Contributions
- Stellar Dynamics
- Publications
- Honors and Recognition
Sir Richard van der Riet Woolley, English Astronomer
Early Life and EducationSir Richard van der Riet Woolley was born in Weymouth, England, in 1924. He graduated from the University of Cape Town in 1933 and continued his education at the University of Cambridge.
Astronomical Career
Greenwich and Cambridge ObservatoriesFrom 1933 to 1937, Woolley served as Chief Assistant at the Royal Greenwich Observatory. He subsequently worked at the Cambridge Observatory from 1937 to 1939.
Mount Stromlo Observatory
In 1939, Woolley became the Director of the Mount Stromlo Observatory in Australia, a position he held until 1955. During this time, he focused primarily on solar physics, particularly photospheric convection and the formation of emission spectra in the chromosphere and corona.
Royal Greenwich Observatory
Woolley returned to the Royal Greenwich Observatory in 1956 as its Director, a position that made him the Royal Astronomer. He oversaw the relocation of the observatory to Herstmonceux.
South African Astronomical Observatory
From 1972 to 1976, Woolley served as Director of the South African Astronomical Observatory.
Research Contributions
Woolley made significant contributions to observational and theoretical astrophysics. He conducted positional observations with a meridian circle, spectral observations of the Sun using a spectroheliograph, and measured double stars.
Stellar Dynamics
Later in his career, Woolley's research interests shifted to stellar dynamics. He studied the structure and equilibrium of globular clusters, the evolution of galactic orbits, and determined the radial velocities of stars.
Publications
Woolley co-authored the influential monograph "The Outer Layers of Stars" (1953) with D. Stibbs, which examined the theory of stellar atmospheres.
Honors and Recognition
Woolley was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1953 and served as Vice-President of the International Astronomical Union from 1952 to 1958. He was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1971.
