John Brinkley

John Mortimer Brinkley (* Dezember 1766 oder Januar 1767 in Suffolk, England; † 14. September 1835 in Dublin, Vereinigtes Königreich von Großbritannien und Irland) war ein britischer Astronom am Trinity College Dublin und Geistlicher der Anglikanischen Kirche.

Leben und Wirken

Brinkley war der uneheliche Sohn des Winzers John Toler und von Sarah Brinkley, die 1770 James Boulter heiratete. Er wurde am 31. Januar 1767 getauft.[1]

Am 29. August 1783 wurde er als „Sizar“ am Gonville and Caius College in Cambridge zugelassen.[1] Er immatrikulierte sich dort 1784 zum Michaelis-Semester (Michaelmas term).[1] 1788 graduierte er als „Senior Wrangler“ und Smith-Preisträger zum Bachelor of Arts (B.A.). Von 1788 bis 1792 war er Fellow des Colleges.

Vom 23. Juni bis zum 9. November 1787 und vom 27. Januar bis zum 28. März 1788 war er Assistent von Nevil Maskelyne am Royal Greenwich Observatory.[2]

Brinkley wurde am 5. April 1789[1] in der Kathedrale von Ely ordiniert und war ab dem 24. März 1791[1] Priester an der Kathedrale von Lincoln.

1791 erwarb er den Grad eines Masters of Arts (M.A.). Ab 1791 war Brinkley Nachfolger von Henry Ussher (1741–1790) als Andrews Professor of Astronomy am Trinity College Dublin und ab 1792 erster Royal Astronomer of Ireland. Er wirkte am Dunsink Observatory unweit von Dublin.

Er war von 1826 bis zu seinem Tode Bischof von Cloyne der Church of Ireland (Anglikanische Gemeinschaft). In der Kathedrale von Cobh erinnert eine Gedenktafel an ihn.[3]

Zu William Paleys Schrift Natural Theology trug er zum Kapitel über Astronomie bei.[4]

Brinkley war verheiratet und hatte drei Kinder.

Ehrungen

Am 17. März 1803 wurde Brinkley als Mitglied („Fellow“) in die Royal Society gewählt, die ihm 1824 die Copley-Medaille verlieh.[5] Er wurde 1820 in die Académie des sciences,[6] 1822 in die American Academy of Arts and Sciences[7] und am 19. Januar 1824 als Ehrenmitglied („Honorary Fellow“) in die Royal Society of Edinburgh[8] gewählt. Von 1822 bis zu seinem Tode 1835 war er Präsident der Royal Irish Academy. Von 1831 bis 1833 war er Präsident der Royal Astronomical Society.

1817 wurde Brinkley mit der Cunningham Medal der Royal Irish Academy ausgezeichnet.

Schriften (Auswahl)

Bücher

  • Elements of astronomy. Dublin 1808.
    • [Neue Auflage,] Graisberry and Campbell, Dublin 1812 (Digitalisat).
    • 2. Auflage, R. E. Mercier, Dublin 1819 (Digitalisat).
    • Elements of plane astronomy. Milliken and son, Dublin 1836 (Digitalisat) – herausgegeben von Thomas Luby (1800–1870).
      • 6. Auflage, Hodges and Smith, Dublin 1845 (Digitalisat).
    • Brinkley’s Astronomy. Revised and partly re-written, with additional chapters. Hodges, Foster, & Co., Dublin 1871 (Digitalisat) – herausgegeben von John William Stubbs (1821–1897).
      • 2., erweiterte und verbesserte Auflage, Longmans, Green, Reader, and Dyer, London 1874 (Digitalisat).

Philosophical Transactions

  • An investigation of the general term of an important series in the inverse method of finite differences. In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. Band 97, 1807, S. 114–132 (doi:10.1098/rstl.1807.0007, JSTOR:107234).
  • Extract of a letter […] [to] Nevil Maskelyne […] on the annual Parallax of α Lyrae. In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. Band 100, 1810, S. 204 (doi:10.1098/rstl.1810.0013, JSTOR:107220).
  • On the parallax of certain fixed stars. In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. Band 108, 1818, S. 275–302 (doi:10.1098/rstl.1818.0016, JSTOR:107471).
  • The results of observations made at the Observatory of Trinity College, Dublin, for determining the obliquity of the ecliptic, and the maximum of the aberration of light. In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. Band 109, 1819, S. 241–248 (doi:10.1098/rstl.1819.0019, JSTOR:107504).
  • An account of observations made with the eight feet astronomical circle, at the Observatory of Trinity College, Dublin, since the beginning of the year 1818, for investigating the effects of parallax and aberration on the places of certain fixed stars; also the comparison of these with former observations for determining the effects of lunar nutation. In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. Band 111, 1821, S. 327–360 (doi:10.1098/rstl.1821.0025, JSTOR:107622).
  • Elements of Captain Hall’s Comet […] In a letter addressed to W. H. Wollaston […]. In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. Band 112, 1822, S. 50–63 (doi:10.1098/rstl.1822.0008, JSTOR:107671).
  • An account of observations made with the eight feet astronomical circle, at the Observatory of Trinity College, Dublin, since the beginning of the year 1818, for investigating the effects of parallax and aberration on the places of certain fixed stars; also the comparison of these with former observations for determining the effects of lunar nutation. In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. Band 111, 1821, S. 327–360 (doi:10.1098/rstl.1821.0025, JSTOR:107622).
  • On the north polar distances of the principal fixed stars. In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. Band 114, 1824, S. 50–84 (doi:10.1098/rstl.1824.0007, JSTOR:107706).
  • Remarks on the parallax of α lyrae. In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. Band 114, 1824, S. 471–498 (doi:10.1098/rstl.1824.0028, JSTOR:107727).
  • Results of the application of Captain Kater’s floating collimator to the astronomical circle at the observatory of Trinity College, Dublin, and remarks relative to those results. In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. Band 116, 1826, S. 307–323 (doi:10.1098/rstl.1826.0026, JSTOR:107817) – Über Henry Katers Kollimator.

Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy

  • General demonstrations of the theorems for the sines and cosines of multiple circular arcs, and also of the theorems for expressing the powers of sines and cosines by the sines and cosines of multiple arcs; to which is added a theorem by help whereof the same method may be applied to demonstrate the properties of multiple hyperbolic areas. In: The Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. Band 7, Dublin 1800, S. 27–51 (Digitalisat, JSTOR:30078940)
  • A general demonstration of the property of the circle discovered by Mr. Cotes, deduced from the circle only. In: The Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. Band 7, Dublin 1800, S. 151–159 (Digitalisat, JSTOR:30078946)
  • A method of expressing, when possible, the value of one variable quantity in integral powers of another and constant quantities, having given equations expressing the relation of these variable quantities; in which is contained the general doctrine of reversion of series, of approximating to the roots of equations, and of the solution of fluxional equations by series. In: The Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. Band 7, Dublin 1800, S. 321–355 (Digitalisat, JSTOR:30078951)
  • On the orbits in which bodies revolve, being acted upon by a centripetal force varying as any function of the distance, when those orbits have two apsides. In: The Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. Band 8, Dublin 1802, S. 215–231 (Digitalisat, JSTOR:30078723)
  • On determining innumerable portions of a sphere, the solidities and spherical superficies of which portions are at the same time algebraically assignable. In: The Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. Band 8, Dublin 1802, S. 513–525 (Digitalisat, JSTOR:30078728).
  • An examination of various Solutions of Kepler’s problem, and a short practical solution of that problem pointed out. In: The Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. Band 9, Dublin 1803, S. 83–131 (Digitalisat, JSTOR:30078738).
  • A theorem for finding the surface of an oblique cylinder, with its geometrical demonstration. Also an appendix containing some observations on the methods of finding the circumference of a very excentric ellipse; including a geometrical demonstration of the property of elliptic areas discovered by Count Fagnani. In: The Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. Band 9, Dublin 1803, S. 145–158 (Digitalisat, JSTOR:30078740).
  • On Sir Isaac Newton’s first solution of the problem for finding the relation between resistance and gravity, that a body may be made to describe a given curve; and the source of error in that solution pointed out. In: The Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. Band 11, Dublin 1810, S. 45–59 (Digitalisat, JSTOR:30079187).
  • Investigations relative to the problem for clearing the Apparent distance of the moon from the sun, or a star, from the effects of Parallax and Refraction, and an easy and concise method pointed out. In: The Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. Band 11, Dublin 1810, S. 69–85 (Digitalisat, JSTOR:30079190).
  • An account of observations made at the Observatory of Trinity College, Dublin, with an astronomical circle, eight feet in diameter, which appear to point out an annual parallax in certain fixed stars. Also a catalogue of north polar distances of forty-seven principal fixed stars, from recent observations, and a comparison thereof with those of the same stars, obtained by other instruments, and by the same instrument, at a former period. In: The Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. Band 12, Dublin 1815, S. 33–75 (Digitalisat, JSTOR:30078776).
    • Appendix to the Account of Observations made at the Observatory of Trinity College, Dublin, which appear to point out an annual parallax in certain fixed stars, &c. &c. In: The Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. Band 12, Dublin 1815, S. 119–124 (Digitalisat, JSTOR:30078778).
  • Analytical investigations respecting astronomical refractions, and the application thereof to the formation of convenient tables together with the results of observations of circumpolar stars, tending to illustrate the theory of refractions. In: The Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. Band 12, Dublin 1815, S. 77–117 (Digitalisat, JSTOR:30078777).
  • Investigations in physical astronomy, principally relative to the mean motion of the lunar perigee. In: The Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. Band 13, Dublin 1818, S. 25–51 (Digitalisat, JSTOR:30078878) – Cunningham Medal.
  • Observations relative to the form of the arbitrary constant quantities that occur in the integration of certain differential equations; and also in the integration of a certain equation of finite differences. In: The Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. Band 13, Dublin 1818, S. 53–61 (Digitalisat, JSTOR:30078878).
  • A method of computing astronomical refractions for objects near the horizon. In: The Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. Band 13, Dublin 1818, S. 165–173 (Digitalisat, JSTOR:30078886).
  • A method of correcting the approximate elements of the orbit of a comet, and the application of the same to observations made at the Observatory of Trinity College Dublin, on the comet of july, 1819. In: The Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. Band 13, Dublin 1818, S. 189–198 (Digitalisat, JSTOR:30078888).
  • The quantity of solar nutation, as affecting the north polar distances of the fixed stars deduced from observation, and the application of this determination to confirm the conclusions relative to the parallaxes of certain fixed stars. In: The Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. Band 14, Dublin 1825, S. 3–37 (Digitalisat, JSTOR:30079109).
  • On the quantity of the precession of the equinoxes, as determined by certain stars that appear to have no proper motion. In: The Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. Band 15, Dublin 1828, S. 39–68 (Digitalisat, JSTOR:30078905).

Andere

  • Observations and elements of the orbit of the Great Comet of 1819. In: Quarterly journal of literature, science, and the arts. Band 9, 1820, S. 164–167 (Digitalisat).
  • Extracts from two papers on refraction. In: Quarterly journal of literature, science, and the arts. Band 11, 1821, S. 364–370 (Digitalisat).
  • Observations on M. Delambre’s remarks, relative to the problem of finding the Latitude from two altitudes, and the time between. In: Quarterly journal of literature, science, and the arts. Band 11, 1821, S. 370–372 (Digitalisat).
  • An easy method of computing the aberration of the stars. In: Quarterly journal of literature, science, and the arts. Band 12, 1822, S. 151–154 (Digitalisat).
  • The results of computations relative to the parallax of α Lyra, from observations made with the greenwich mural circle. In: Memoirs of the Royal Astronomical Society. Band 1, London 1822, S. 329–340 (Digitalisat).
  • [Observations of the stars to be compared with the moon.] In: Astronomische Nachrichten. Band 3, Nr. 8, 1825, Sp. 105–106 (Digitalisat, doi:10.1002/asna.18250030802).
  • The results of computations on astronomical observations made at Paramatta, in New South Wales, […]; and the application thereof to investigate the exactness of observations made in the Northern Hemisphere. In: Memoirs of the Royal Astronomical Society. Band 2, London 1826, S. 105–123 (Digitalisat).
  • [On the quantity of Luni-solar Precession, &c.] In: Astronomische Nachrichten. Band 4, Nr. 7, 1826, Sp. 101–104 (Digitalisat, doi:10.1002/asna.18260040704).
  • [Culminations observed at Dublin.] In: Astronomische Nachrichten. Band 5, Nr. 9, 1827, Sp. 131–138 (Digitalisat, doi:10.1002/asna.18270050903).

Literatur

  • Royal Society of London: Catalogue of Scientific Papers (1800–1863). Band 1, London 1876, S. 627–629 (Digitalisat).
  • [Biographical notice of Dr. Brinkley, Bishop of Cloyne.] In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Band 3, Nr. 20, Februar 1836, S. 148–149 (Digitalisat, doi:10.1093/mnras/3.20.145).
  • P. A. Wayman: Brinkley, John (1766/7–1835). In: Henry Colin Gray Matthew, Brian Harrison (Hrsg.): Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, from the earliest times to the year 2000 (ODNB). Oxford University Press, Oxford 2004, ISBN 0-19-861411-X; doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/3438 (Lizenz erforderlich), Stand: 23. September 2004.

Einzelnachweise

  1. ↑ a b c d e Brinkley, John. In: John Archibald Venn (Hrsg.): Alumni Cantabrigienses. A Biographical List of All Known Students, Graduates and Holders of Office at the University of Cambridge, from the Earliest Times to 1900. Teil 2: From 1752 to 1900, Band 1: Abbey – Challis. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1940, S. 382 (online).
  2. ↑ Transactions of the Astronomical and Physical Society of Toronto for the year 1898. Toronto 1899, S. 4 (online).
  3. ↑ Richard Caulfield: Annals of the Cathedral of St. Coleman, Cloyne. Purcell, Cork 1882, S. 44 (online).
  4. ↑ William Paley: The principles of moral and political philosophy. 12. Auflage, R. Faulder, London 1809, S. 378 (online).
  5. ↑ Eintrag zu Brinkley; John (1763–1835); Bishop of Cloyne; astronomer im Archiv der Royal Society, London
  6. ↑ Verzeichnis der Mitglieder seit 1666: Buchstabe B. Académie des sciences, abgerufen am 27. September 2019 (französisch).
  7. ↑ Book of Members 1780–present, Chapter B. (PDF; 1,2 MB) In: amacad.org. American Academy of Arts and Sciences, abgerufen am 31. Oktober 2021 (englisch).
  8. ↑ C. D. Waterston, A. Macmillan Shearer: Biographical index of former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002. Part I: A–J. 2006, ISBN 0-902198-84-X, S. 113 (PDF).
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