George Biddell Airy

George Biddell Airy.

Sir George Biddell Airy (27 July 1801–2 January 1892) was an English mathematician and astronomer, Astronomer Royal from 1835 to 1881. His many achievements include work on planetary orbits, measuring the mean density of the Earth, a method of solution of two-dimensional problems in solid mechanics and, in his role as Astronomer Royal, establishing Greenwich at the location of the prime meridian. His reputation has been tarnished by allegations that, through his inaction, Britain lost the opportunity of priority in the discovery of Neptune.

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  On sound and atmospheric vibrations with the mathematical elements of music, 1871

Other websites

• O'Connor, John J.; Robertson, Edmund F., "George Biddell Airy", MacTutor History of Mathematics archive, University of St Andrews.
• Works by George Biddell Airy at Project Gutenberg
• Awarding of RAS gold medal, 1833: MNRAS 2 (1833) 159
• Awarding of RAS gold medal, 1846: MNRAS 7 (1846) 64
• Eric W. Weisstein, Airy, George (1801-1892) at ScienceWorld.
• Sir George Biddell Airy (1858). Mathematical tracts on the lunar and planetary theories, the figure of the earth, precession and nutation, the calculus of variations, and the undulatory theory of optics: Designed for the use of students in the university. Macmillan and co.
• Full texts of some of the papers by Airy are available at Gallica: bibliothèque numérique de la Bibliothèque nationale de France