President of the Royal Astronomical Society

Last updated
President of the Royal Astronomical Society
Incumbent
Mike Edmunds
since 2022
Royal Astronomical Society
Member ofRAS Council
AppointerElected by the Fellows of the RAS
Term length Two years
PrecursorPresident of the Astronomical Society of London
Formation1820
First holderSir William Herschel
Website www.ras.org.uk/about-the-ras/council

The President of the Royal Astronomical Society (prior to 1831 known as President of the Astronomical Society of London) chairs the Council of the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) and its formal meetings. They also liaise with government organisations (including the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the UK Research Councils), similar societies in other countries, and the International Astronomical Union on behalf of the UK astronomy and geophysics communities. Future presidents serve one year as President Elect before succeeding the previous president. [1]

Contents

The first president was William Herschel in 1821, [2] though he never chaired a meeting. Since then the post has been held by many distinguished astronomers. The post has generally had a term of office of two years, but some holders resigned after one year e.g. due to poor health. Francis Baily and George Airy were elected a record of four times each. Airy was additionally appointed by Council for a partial term, so served as President a total of five times, more than anyone else. Since 1876 no-one has served for more than two years in total.

Presidents

No.ImageNameStart yearEnd yearNoteReference
1 William Herschel01.jpg William Herschel 18211823 [2] [3]
2 HTColebrooke.jpg Henry Thomas Colebrooke 18231825 [2] [3]
3(a) Francis Baily (The Royal Astronomical Society).jpg Francis Baily 18251827First term [2] [3]
4(a) John Herschel00.jpg John Herschel 18271829First term [2] [3]
5 History of the Royal Astronomical Society - Sir James South.png James South 18291831 [2] [3]
6 Brinkley.jpeg John Brinkley 18311833 [2] [3]
3(b) Francis Baily (The Royal Astronomical Society).jpg Francis Baily 18331835Second term [2] [3]
7(a) George Biddell Airy 1891.jpg George Airy 18351837First term [2] [3]
3(c) Francis Baily (The Royal Astronomical Society).jpg Francis Baily 18371839Third term [2] [3]
4(b) John Herschel00.jpg John Herschel 18391841Second term [2] [3]
8 John Wrottesley ca1866.jpg John Wrottesley 18411843 [2] [3]
3(d) Francis Baily (The Royal Astronomical Society).jpg Francis Baily 18431844Fourth term, died in office [2] [3] [4]
7(b) George Biddell Airy 1891.jpg George Airy 18441845Second term, appointed by RAS Council to fill the vacancy left by Baily's death [4]
9 W H Smyth.jpg William Henry Smyth 18451847 [2] [3]
4(c) John Herschel00.jpg John Herschel 18471849Third term [2] [3]
7(c) George Biddell Airy 1891.jpg George Airy 18491851Third term [2] [3]
10(a) John Couch Adams.jpg John Couch Adams 18511853First term [2] [3]
7(d) George Biddell Airy 1891.jpg George Airy 18531855Fourth term [2] [3]
11 Manuel John Johnson 18551857 [2] [3]
12 George Bishop 18571859 [2] [3]
13 Reverend Robert Main 18591861 [2] [3]
14 John Lee. Lithograph by (P. J.). Wellcome V0003461.jpg John Lee 18611863 [2] [3]
7(e) George Biddell Airy 1891.jpg George Airy 18631864Fifth term, resigned after one year [2] [3]
15 Warren de la Rue.jpg Warren De la Rue 18641866 [2] [3]
16 Charles Pritchard Astronomer.jpg Charles Pritchard 18661868 [2] [3]
17 Russell Henry Manners 18681870 [2] [3]
18 William Lassell.jpg William Lassell 18701872 [2] [3]
19 Arthur Cayley.jpg Arthur Cayley 18721874 [2] [3]
10(b) John Couch Adams.jpg John Couch Adams 18741876Second term. Last president to serve for more than 2 years in total. [2] [3]
20 Sir William Huggins by John Collier.jpg William Huggins 18761878 [2] [3]
21 Lord Lindsay - Earl of Crawford.jpg James Ludovic Lindsay 18781880 [2] [3]
22 John Russell Hind - 1.jpg John Russell Hind 18801882 [2] [3]
23 Edward Stone 18821884 [2] [3]
24 Edwin Dunkin 18841886 [2] [3]
25(a) James Whitbread Lee Glaisher.jpg James Whitbread Lee Glaisher 18861888First term [2] [3]
26 William H M Christie.jpg William Christie 18881890 [2] [3]
27 James Francis Tennant 18901892 [2] [3]
28(a) Edward Ball Knobel 18921893First term [2] [3]
29 William de Wiveleslie Abney.jpg William de Wiveleslie Abney 18931895 [2] [3]
30 Common Andrew Ainslie.jpg Andrew Ainslie Common 18951897 [2] [3]
31 Robert Stawell Ball.jpg Robert Stawell Ball 18971899 [2] [3]
32 George Darwin sepia tone.jpg George Darwin 18991900 [2] [3]
28(b) Edward Ball Knobel 19001901Second term [2] [3]
25(b) James Whitbread Lee Glaisher.jpg James Whitbread Lee Glaisher 19011903Second term [2] [3]
33 Herbert Hall Turner 19031905 [2] [3]
34 WilliamMaw.png William Maw 19051907 [2] [3]
35 Hugh Frank Newall 19071909 [2] [3]
36 David Gill.jpg David Gill 19091911 [2] [3]
37 Frank Watson Dyson.jpg Frank Watson Dyson 19111913 [2] [3]
38 Edmond Herbert Grove-Hills 19131915 [2] [3]
39 Ralph Allen Sampson 19151917 [2] [3]
40 Percy MacMahon.jpg Percy Alexander MacMahon 19171919 [2] [3]
41 Alfred Fowler.jpg Alfred Fowler 19191921 [2] [3]
42 Arthur Stanley Eddington.jpg Arthur Eddington 19211923 [2]
43 John Dreyer.gif John Louis Emil Dreyer 19231925 [2]
44 James Hopwood Jeans.jpg James Jeans 19251927 [2]
45 Theodore Evelyn Reece Phillips 19271929 [2]
46 ACDCrommelin-early.jpg Andrew Claude De Lacherois Crommelin 19291931 [2]
47 Harold Knox-Shaw 19311933 [2]
48 F.J.M. Stratton astrophysicist (cropped).png Frederick John Marrian Stratton 19331935 [2]
49 John Henry Reynolds.png John Henry Reynolds 19351937 [2]
50 Harold Spencer Jones 19371939 [2]
51 Henry Crozier Keating Plummer 19391941 [2]
52 Sydney Chapman.jpg Sydney Chapman 19411943 [2]
53 Edward Arthur Milne-(1917).jpg Arthur Milne 19431945 [2]
54 Harry Hemley Plaskett 19451947 [2]
55 William Michael Herbert Greaves 19471949 [2]
56 William Marshall Smart 19491951 [2]
57 Herbert Dingle 440.jpg Herbert Dingle 19511953 [2]
58 JohnJackson(astronomer).jpg John Jackson 19531955 [2]
59 Harold Jeffreys 19551957 [2]
60 William Herbert Steavenson 19571959 [2]
61 Roderick Oliver Redman 19591961 [2]
62 William McCrea 19611963 [2]
63 Richard van der Riet Woolley 19631965 [2]
64 Thomas George Cowling 19651967 [2]
65 Donald Sadler 19671969 [2] [5]
66 BernardLovell.jpg Bernard Lovell 19691971 [2]
67 Institute of Astronomy, Statue of Sir Fred Hoyle.jpg Fred Hoyle 19711973 [2]
68 Donald Blackwell 19731975 [2]
69 Francis Graham Smith.jpg Francis Graham-Smith 19751977 [2]
70 Alan Cook 19771979 [2]
71 Michael Seaton 19791981 [2]
72 SirArnoldWolfendale.jpg Arnold Wolfendale 19811983 [2]
73 Raymond Hide 19831985 [2]
74 Donald Lynden-Bell.jpg Donald Lynden-Bell 19851987 [2]
75 Rod Davies cropped from Jodrell Bank Directors.jpg Rod Davies 19871989 [2]
76 Roger John Tayler 19891990Astronomer: stellar evolution, galaxy evolution, plasma physics.
Resigned his presidency a year early when he was diagnosed with myeloma.		 [2] [6]
77 Kenneth Pounds 19901992Space scientist, X-ray astronomer [2]
78 Martin Rees-6Nov2005.jpg Martin Rees 19921994 Cosmologist, theoretical astrophysicist [2]
79 Carole Jordan 19941996First female president
Solar physicist, ultraviolet astronomer 		[2]
80 Malcolm Longair (8750955675).jpg Malcolm Longair 19961998 High energy astronomer, cosmologist [2]
81 David A. Williams 19982000 Astrochemist [2]
82 Nigel Weiss 20002002 Theoretical astrophysicist [2]
83 Launch of IYA 2009, Paris - Grygar, Bell Burnell cropped.jpg Jocelyn Bell Burnell 20022004 Radio astronomer [2]
84 Image of Kathy Whaler at the opening ceremony of the 2023 IUGG General Assembly, 13 July 2023.jpg Kathryn Whaler 20042006Earth geophysicist [2]
85 Michael Rowan-Robinson 20062008 Infrared astronomer [2]
86 Andrew Fabian 20082010 X-ray astronomer [2]
87 Roger Davies.jpg Roger Davies 20102012Astronomer, physical cosmologist [2]
88 David Southwood RAS.jpg David Southwood 20122014Space scientist, magnetospheres [2] [7]
89 Martinbarstow ras 10apr2015.jpg Martin Barstow 20142016Astronomer: white dwarfs, interstellar medium, ultraviolet astronomy [2] [1] [8] [9]
90 Johnzarnecki ras meeting 11dec2015.jpg John Zarnecki 20162018Space scientist, spacecraft instrumentation [10] [11]
91 Mike Cruise 20182020Astronomer, gravitational waves [2]
92 Professor Emma Bunce portrait 01.jpg Emma Bunce 20202022Space scientist, planetary magnetospheres [12]
93 Professor Mike Edmunds portrait 01.jpg Mike Edmunds 20222024Astrophysicist Abundance of the chemical elements Cosmic dust [13]

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References

  1. 1 2 "University of Leicester Professor elected President of the Royal Astronomical Society". University of Leicester. 17 May 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 "List of presidents and dates of office". A brief history of the RAS. Royal Astronomical Society. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 Dreyer, John L. E.; Turner, Herbert H., eds. (1923). History of the Royal Astronomical Society: Volume 1, 1820–1920. London: Royal Astronomical Society. p. 250.
  4. 1 2 "Ordinary Meeting of the Royal Astronomical Society, held on November 8, 1844". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society . 6 (9): 85.
  5. ↑ Wilkins, G. A. (1991). "Obituary - 1908-1987 Donald Sadler". Quarterly Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society. 32: 59. Bibcode:1991QJRAS..32...59W.
  6. ↑ Mestel, L. (1997). "A tribute to Roger J. Tayler (25 October 1929 - 23 January 1997)". Bulletin of the Astronomical Society of India . 25 (1): 143. Bibcode:1997BASI...25..143M.
  7. ↑ "Profile: David Southwood". Astronomy & Geophysics . 53 (4): 4.10–4.11. 2012. Bibcode:2012A&G....53d..10.. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-4004.2012.53410.x .
  8. ↑ Smith, Keith. "Election results: new President and Council". Royal Astronomical Society. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  9. ↑ Massey, Robert (9 May 2014). "Elections 2014". Royal Astronomical Society. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  10. ↑ Smith, Keith (8 May 2015). "Election results 2015: new President and Council". Royal Astronomical Society . Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  11. ↑ "Election results 2015: new President and Council". Royal Astronomical Society. 11 May 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  12. ↑ "Election results 2019: new RAS Council". Royal Astronomical Society. May 10, 2019. Archived from the original on June 17, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2020. President Elect: Emma Bunce. The President Elect will serve as President Elect for one year and as President for two years.
  13. ↑ Massey, Robert (May 12, 2021). "Election results 2021: new RAS Council". Royal Astronomical Society. Retrieved January 18, 2023. President-elect (to take office as President from May 2022, serving on Council immediately): Prof. Mike Edmunds.
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