Edmund Halley

British astronomer. Identifier of Comet Harry. Born as the son of a wealthy merchant in London. Interested in mathematics and astronomy, he entered Oxford University at the age of 16, and became proficient in astronomical observation and orbital calculation in his teens. In 1676, he dropped out and expeditioned to St. Helena. During his 18-month stay, he determined the positions of 351 stars in the southern sky, observed the transit of Mercury across the sun, and devised a method for determining solar parallax. After returning to Japan in 1678, he was certified as a graduate by his alma mater and was recommended as a member of the Royal Society at the age of 22. He established his reputation when he published "Catalogue of the Southern Stars" in 1679, and in 1682, he observed the appearance of the Great Comet and devoted himself to discovering its true nature. He identified it as a periodic comet that returned approximately every 76 years, in 1456, 1531, and 1607, and attempted to study its orbit mechanically. He visited Newton, who was a pioneer in this field, and was informed of the possibility of an elliptical orbit. During this period, he became acquainted with Newton, who was 14 years older than him, and they became friends beyond that of a teacher and student. He asked Newton to publish his Principia, and in 1687, the book was published. Harry encouraged Newton's writing, provided materials, proofread the manuscript, checked the proofreading, and covered the publication costs. He also wrote Comte Astronomy in 1705, and the great comet was subsequently called Harry's Comet. He also discovered the long-term acceleration of the moon in 1693 and the proper motion of the stars in 1718. He became a professor at Oxford University in 1703, and the second director of the Greenwich Observatory in 1720.

[Shimamura Fukutaro]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

イギリスの天文学者。ハリー彗星(すいせい)の認定者。ロンドンの富商の息子として生まれる。数学・天文学に興味をもち、16歳でオックスフォード大学に入学、10代で天体観測術と軌道計算法に熟達、1676年中退してセント・ヘレナ島に遠征した。18か月の滞在期間中に南天351個の恒星位置を決定したうえ、水星の太陽面通過を観測して太陽視差決定法を考案した。1678年帰国後、母校から卒業認定を受け、かつ22歳でロイヤル・ソサイエティー会員に推挙された。1679年『南天恒星目録』を公刊するに及んで、その名声を確立し、1682年大彗星の出現を観測し、その正体究明に打ち込んだ。これが、1456年、1531年、1607年とほぼ76年ごとに回帰する周期彗星であると同定し、その軌道の力学的研究を試みた。この道の先達者ニュートンを訪ねて、楕円(だえん)軌道の可能性を教示された。14歳年長のニュートンとはこの期に知己を得て、師弟の間柄以上の友好を結び、彼の力学原理を出版するよう懇請し、1687年に『プリンキピア』の公刊となった。その際ハリーは執筆の激励、資料の提供、原稿の校読、校正の点検、出版費の負担を果たした。また自らも1705年に『彗星天文学概要』を著述、以後、例の大彗星はハリー彗星とよばれる。そのほか、1693年に月の長年加速を、1718年に恒星の固有運動を発見した。1703年オックスフォード大学教授に就任、1720年グリニジ天文台第2代台長に就任した。

［島村福太郎］

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