FIP, FRS, FMSRS, CBE, Herschel Medal, US Presidential Award for Design Excellence, Kt Bach, Honorary Fellow of University College London, Massey Award, Honorary DSc of Queen's University Belfast
Scientific career
Fields
Astronomy and physics
Institutions
University of Edinburgh, Harwell, Culham, University College London
In 1959 Wilson joined the Plasma Spectroscopy Group at Harwell Laboratory where he was responsible for measuring the temperature in the Zeta experiment, confirming that it had not been hot enough to have produced thermonuclear fusion. As head of the Plasma Spectroscopy Group at Culham, he led a programme of rocket observations of ultraviolet spectra of the Sun and stars. By placing telescopes on rockets and satellites it was possible to avoid the absorption of the ultraviolet light by the Earth's atmosphere and gain a great deal of information about the hot plasmas especially in the Sun's chromosphere and corona.
Wilson then became involved in the European Space Research Organization's first astronomy satellite, the TD-1A mission, and led the British collaboration with Belgium in the S2/68 experiment which in 1972 conducted the first all sky survey in the ultraviolet.
Wilson was best known for his role as "father" of the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) satellite. This had started life in 1964 as a proposal to ESRO for a Large Astronomical Satellite, which proved too expensive and studies were abandoned in 1967. Wilson, however, convinced the UK authorities to continue the study, and achieved a radical redesign which at the same time had greater capability and was simpler and therefore cheaper. This concept was called the Ultraviolet Astronomical Satellite (UVAS). It was again submitted to ESRO in November 1968 but despite a favourable assessment report was not accepted. Convinced of the soundness of the concept, Wilson offered the design work to NASA and this ultimately led to IUE, an international project between NASA, ESA and the UK.
In 1972 he relinquished his post as Director, Science Research Council's Astrophysics Research Unit, Culham to become Perren Professor of Astronomy at University College London. He was the George Darwin Lecturer of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1985. He was knighted in 1989.[3]
He was President of Commission 44 of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) (for astronomical observations outside the terrestrial atmosphere) from 1967 to 1970, a Vice-President of the IAU from 1979 to 1985 and a member of the bureau of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) from 1986 to 1990.[4]
^“Sir Robert Wilson CBE”, Biogr. Mem. Fellows R. Soc. Lond. 50, 367–386 (2004).
Further readingedit
Exploring the Universe with the IUE Satellite Ed Y. Kondo 1987,1989 ISBN90-277-2380-X
A. Dalgarno, Sir Robert Wilson, Biographical Memoir, Proc. Am. Philos. Soc., p 119 Vol 142 March 2003. [1]
I. Howarth & A. Willis Sir Robert Wilson 1927–2002 Astr. & Geophys. Vol 44 (1) Page 1.34, Feb 2003
January 01, 1970
robert, wilson, astronomer, american, astronomers, ralph, elmer, wilson, robert, woodrow, wilson, robert, wilson, april, 1927, september, 2002, british, astronomer, physicist, studied, physics, king, college, durham, obtained, university, edinburgh, where, wor. For the American astronomers see Ralph Elmer Wilson and Robert Woodrow Wilson Sir Robert Wilson CBE FRS 1 16 April 1927 2 September 2002 was a British astronomer and physicist He studied physics at King s College Durham and obtained his PhD at the University of Edinburgh where he worked at the Royal Observatory on stellar spectra His works laid the groundwork for the development of the Great Space Observatories such as the Hubble Space Telescope 2 Robert WilsonBorn 1927 04 16 16 April 1927South Shields EnglandDied2 September 2002 2002 09 02 aged 75 Chelmsford EnglandNationalityBritishAlma materDurham UniversityKnown forInternational Ultraviolet ExplorerAwardsFIP FRS FMSRS CBE Herschel Medal US Presidential Award for Design Excellence Kt Bach Honorary Fellow of University College London Massey Award Honorary DSc of Queen s University BelfastScientific careerFieldsAstronomy and physicsInstitutionsUniversity of Edinburgh Harwell Culham University College LondonThesisSpectral photometric investigations of early type stars 1952 Doctoral advisorW M H Greaves In 1959 Wilson joined the Plasma Spectroscopy Group at Harwell Laboratory where he was responsible for measuring the temperature in the Zeta experiment confirming that it had not been hot enough to have produced thermonuclear fusion As head of the Plasma Spectroscopy Group at Culham he led a programme of rocket observations of ultraviolet spectra of the Sun and stars By placing telescopes on rockets and satellites it was possible to avoid the absorption of the ultraviolet light by the Earth s atmosphere and gain a great deal of information about the hot plasmas especially in the Sun s chromosphere and corona Wilson then became involved in the European Space Research Organization s first astronomy satellite the TD 1A mission and led the British collaboration with Belgium in the S2 68 experiment which in 1972 conducted the first all sky survey in the ultraviolet Wilson was best known for his role as father of the International Ultraviolet Explorer IUE satellite This had started life in 1964 as a proposal to ESRO for a Large Astronomical Satellite which proved too expensive and studies were abandoned in 1967 Wilson however convinced the UK authorities to continue the study and achieved a radical redesign which at the same time had greater capability and was simpler and therefore cheaper This concept was called the Ultraviolet Astronomical Satellite UVAS It was again submitted to ESRO in November 1968 but despite a favourable assessment report was not accepted Convinced of the soundness of the concept Wilson offered the design work to NASA and this ultimately led to IUE an international project between NASA ESA and the UK In 1972 he relinquished his post as Director Science Research Council s Astrophysics Research Unit Culham to become Perren Professor of Astronomy at University College London He was the George Darwin Lecturer of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1985 He was knighted in 1989 3 He was President of Commission 44 of the International Astronomical Union IAU for astronomical observations outside the terrestrial atmosphere from 1967 to 1970 a Vice President of the IAU from 1979 to 1985 and a member of the bureau of the Committee on Space Research COSPAR from 1986 to 1990 4 References edit Jordan C 2004 Sir Robert Wilson CBE 16 April 1927 2 September 2002 Elected F R S 1975 Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society 50 367 doi 10 1098 rsbm 2004 0024 Sir Robert Wilson Obituaries News The Independent London 24 September 2002 Retrieved 27 July 2011 No 52009 The London Gazette 5 January 1990 p 221 Sir Robert Wilson CBE Biogr Mem Fellows R Soc Lond 50 367 386 2004 Further reading editExploring the Universe with the IUE Satellite Ed Y Kondo 1987 1989 ISBN 90 277 2380 X A Dalgarno Sir Robert Wilson Biographical Memoir Proc Am Philos Soc p 119 Vol 142 March 2003 1 I Howarth amp A Willis Sir Robert Wilson 1927 2002 Astr amp Geophys Vol 44 1 Page 1 34 Feb 2003 2 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Robert Wilson astronomer amp oldid 1192046476, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
