Thomas Street (also spelled Streete) (1621–1689) was an English astronomer, known for his writings on celestial motions. He has sometimes been confused with Thomas Street the judge, who lived from 1626 to 1696. The crater Street on the Moon is named after him.
According to Brief Lives by Street's contemporary John Aubrey, Street was born at Castle Lyons in Ireland on 5 March 1621, and died "in Chanon-row (vulgarly Channel-rowe) at Westminster, the 17th August, 1689, and is buried in the church yard of the new chapell there".[1]
AstronomyEdit
On 3 May 1661 Streete observed a transit of Mercury from Long Acre in London with Nicholas Mercator and Christiaan Huygens.[2] Streete subsequently disputed Hevelius’s observation of this event.[3] The same year also saw Streete publishing Astronomia Carolina, a new theorie of Coelestial Motions. An Appendix to Astronomia Carolina (including tables) followed in 1664. Astronomia Carolina was widely read, and used by students who later became very notable in their own right, e.g. Isaac Newton[4] and John Flamsteed.[5] It was from Astronomia Carolina that Flamsteed learned how to calculate eclipses and planetary positions. Street's tables in Astronomia Carolina had a reputation for accuracy: for example, Flamsteed once referred to them as "the exactest tables in being, the Caroline",[6] and Astronomia Carolina itself appeared in second and third editions as late as 1710 and 1716.[7]
1674 saw the appearance of Street's Description and Use of the Planetary Systeme together with Easie Tables, as well as, in the same year, Tables of Projection for artillery, accompanying a work on gunnery by Robert Anderson.
A follower of Johannes Kepler, Street argued, like Kepler, that Earth's rate of daily rotation is not uniform. He argued that the rotation increased as it approached the Sun.[8]
Other achievementsEdit
Street invented an improved back-staff, a modification of an earlier instrument by Robert Hooke, adding to the device two planes and a small mirror.[9][10]
PersonalityEdit
He was of a rough and cholerique disposition. Discoursing with Prince Rupert, his highnesse affirmed something that was not according to art; sayd Mr. Street, 'whoever affirmes that is no mathematician.' So they would point at him afterwards at court and say, 'There's the man that huff't prince Rupert.'" ... "He hath left with his widowe (who lives in Warwick lane ...) an absolute piece of Trigonometrie, plain and spherical, in MS., more perfect than ever was yet donne, and more clear and demonstrated." ... "He was one of Mr. Ashmole's clarkes in the Excise office, which was his chiefest lively-hood.
One of Street's pamphlets described how he engaged in a vigorous polemic with Vincent Wing, his astronomical competitor, who had published a criticism of Street's Astronomia Carolina.[10][11]
Edmond Halley (1656–1742), Street's much younger contemporary, wrote of Street as his 'good friend' (according to Halley's biographer), and said that they had observed a lunar eclipse together.[12] Halley wrote an appendix to the 1710 edition of Street's Astronomia Carolina, and Cajori (op. cit.) said that Halley actually 'brought out' that 1710 edition.
NotesEdit
^Aubrey, John; Clark, Andrew (1898). "Brief lives", chiefly of contemporaries. Robarts - University of Toronto. Oxford : Clarendon Press.
^"1904Obs....27..369L Page 369". articles.adsabs.harvard.edu. Bibcode:1904Obs....27..369L. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
^Johns, Adrian (15 May 2009). The Nature of the Book: Print and Knowledge in the Making. University of Chicago Press. ISBN978-0-226-40123-2.
^See e.g. D. T. Whiteside, Before the Principia, in Journal for the History of Astronomy 1 (1970), 5–17, p. 7.
^According to Encyclopædia Britannica, 1823 version, article on John Flamsteed, p. 666.
^Letter from J. Flamsteed to Lord Brouncker (President of the Royal Society), on 24 November 1669. See Correspondence of John Flamsteed, vol. 1, ed. E. G. Forbes et al., 1997, letter #5, pages 12–26.
^For copies in British Library, see online catalogue.
^University of Florida > Robert A. Hatch > Between Friends: Huygens & Boulliau
^Saverien's article on the 'quartier anglois' (back-staff), in Dictionnaire universel de mathematique, Paris, 1753.
^ abBulletin of the American Mathematical Society 1903-12: Vol 10. Internet Archive. American Mathematical Society. December 1903.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
^Examen Examinatum, or Wing's Examination of Astronomia Carolina examined ... with a Castigation of the Envy and Ignorance of Vincent Wing, by Thomas Street, Student in Astronomy and Mathematics ... London, 1667.
thomas, street, astronomer, thomas, street, also, spelled, streete, 1621, 1689, english, astronomer, known, writings, celestial, motions, sometimes, been, confused, with, thomas, street, judge, lived, from, 1626, 1696, crater, street, moon, named, after, thoma. Thomas Street also spelled Streete 1621 1689 was an English astronomer known for his writings on celestial motions He has sometimes been confused with Thomas Street the judge who lived from 1626 to 1696 The crater Street on the Moon is named after him Thomas StreetBorn5 March 1621 probably unadjusted Castlelyons Kingdom of IrelandDied17 August 1689 probably unadjusted aged 68 Westminster London Kingdom of EnglandNationalityEnglishKnown forAstronomia CarolinaScientific careerFieldsAstronomy Contents 1 Life 2 Astronomy 3 Other achievements 4 Personality 5 NotesLife EditAccording to Brief Lives by Street s contemporary John Aubrey Street was born at Castle Lyons in Ireland on 5 March 1621 and died in Chanon row vulgarly Channel rowe at Westminster the 17th August 1689 and is buried in the church yard of the new chapell there 1 Astronomy EditOn 3 May 1661 Streete observed a transit of Mercury from Long Acre in London with Nicholas Mercator and Christiaan Huygens 2 Streete subsequently disputed Hevelius s observation of this event 3 The same year also saw Streete publishing Astronomia Carolina a new theorie of Coelestial Motions An Appendix to Astronomia Carolina including tables followed in 1664 Astronomia Carolina was widely read and used by students who later became very notable in their own right e g Isaac Newton 4 and John Flamsteed 5 It was from Astronomia Carolina that Flamsteed learned how to calculate eclipses and planetary positions Street s tables in Astronomia Carolina had a reputation for accuracy for example Flamsteed once referred to them as the exactest tables in being the Caroline 6 and Astronomia Carolina itself appeared in second and third editions as late as 1710 and 1716 7 1674 saw the appearance of Street s Description and Use of the Planetary Systeme together with Easie Tables as well as in the same year Tables of Projection for artillery accompanying a work on gunnery by Robert Anderson A follower of Johannes Kepler Street argued like Kepler that Earth s rate of daily rotation is not uniform He argued that the rotation increased as it approached the Sun 8 Other achievements EditStreet invented an improved back staff a modification of an earlier instrument by Robert Hooke adding to the device two planes and a small mirror 9 10 Personality EditHe was of a rough and cholerique disposition Discoursing with Prince Rupert his highnesse affirmed something that was not according to art sayd Mr Street whoever affirmes that is no mathematician So they would point at him afterwards at court and say There s the man that huff t prince Rupert He hath left with his widowe who lives in Warwick lane an absolute piece of Trigonometrie plain and spherical in MS more perfect than ever was yet donne and more clear and demonstrated He was one of Mr Ashmole s clarkes in the Excise office which was his chiefest lively hood John Aubrey Brief Lives One of Street s pamphlets described how he engaged in a vigorous polemic with Vincent Wing his astronomical competitor who had published a criticism of Street s Astronomia Carolina 10 11 Edmond Halley 1656 1742 Street s much younger contemporary wrote of Street as his good friend according to Halley s biographer and said that they had observed a lunar eclipse together 12 Halley wrote an appendix to the 1710 edition of Street s Astronomia Carolina and Cajori op cit said that Halley actually brought out that 1710 edition Notes Edit Aubrey John Clark Andrew 1898 Brief lives chiefly of contemporaries Robarts University of Toronto Oxford Clarendon Press 1904Obs 27 369L Page 369 articles adsabs harvard edu Bibcode 1904Obs 27 369L Retrieved 3 August 2021 Johns Adrian 15 May 2009 The Nature of the Book Print and Knowledge in the Making University of Chicago Press ISBN 978 0 226 40123 2 See e g D T Whiteside Before the Principia in Journal for the History of Astronomy 1 1970 5 17 p 7 According to Encyclopaedia Britannica 1823 version article on John Flamsteed p 666 Letter from J Flamsteed to Lord Brouncker President of the Royal Society on 24 November 1669 See Correspondence of John Flamsteed vol 1 ed E G Forbes et al 1997 letter 5 pages 12 26 For copies in British Library see online catalogue University of Florida gt Robert A Hatch gt Between Friends Huygens amp Boulliau Saverien s article on the quartier anglois back staff in Dictionnaire universel de mathematique Paris 1753 a b Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society 1903 12 Vol 10 Internet Archive American Mathematical Society December 1903 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint others link Examen Examinatum or Wing s Examination of Astronomia Carolina examined with a Castigation of the Envy and Ignorance of Vincent Wing by Thomas Street Student in Astronomy and Mathematics London 1667 Alan Cook Edmond Halley Oxford 1998 p 66 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Thomas Street astronomer amp oldid 1179844414, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
