John Pringle Nichol
John Pringle Nichol (born January 13, 1804 in Huntlyhill near Brechin , † September 19, 1859 ) was a Scottish astronomer, phrenologist , economist and professor at the University of Glasgow .
Nichol was the son of a squire and studied mathematics and physics at Aberdeen University (graduating with top marks) before switching to theology and becoming a clergyman before he came of age. Soon after, he switched to teaching (he also became headmaster, for example at Hawick Grammar School, Cupar Academy and Montrose Academy) and journalism. At times he published the Five Herald . He was interested in phrenology and economics, and was associated with notable intellectuals such as John Stuart Mill . He was lifelong friends with Mill. He was offered the chair of political economy at the Collège de France as successor to Jean-Baptiste Say , which he had to turn down for health reasons. In 1836 he became Regius Professor of Astronomy in Glasgow. He was a successful popularizer of astronomy with several popular science books, was known for rousing lectures both at university and in public in front of large audiences, and one of his students in Glasgow was William Thomson , whom he studied with mathematical physics from France (especially Joseph Fourier ) made known. Nichol gave lectures on natural philosophy (theoretical physics) when the professor William Meikleham was sick for two years. He also gave lectures on natural history. In 1848/49 he gave lectures in the USA.
As an astronomer, he dealt with the observation of the moon and nebulae . According to Pierre Simon de Laplace (as in his nebular hypothesis ) , he initially considered them to be gas masses. The finer details that Lord Rosse's large telescope brought to light convinced him that they were made up of stars. The spiral structure of various nebulae, such as M 51, recognized by Lord Rosse has been depicted in some of his books. He was a friend of William Rowan Hamilton .
He managed to raise funds for the construction of a new observatory in Glasgow (Horeslethill), which was built in 1841 and where he lived as an observer. In 1840 he traveled to Munich to purchase astronomical instruments. However, the observatory ran into financial difficulties and was acquired by the university in 1845.
In 1837 he received an honorary doctorate (LLD) from the University of Glasgow. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Royal Astronomical Society .
In 1831 he married Jane Tullis (1813-1851) and after her death in 1853 he married the social reformer and suffragette Elizabeth Pease (1807-1897). His son John Nichol (1833-1894) was Regius Professor of English Language and Literature in Glasgow. His daughter married the math professor in Glasgow William Jack.
Fonts
- Views of the Architecture of the Heavens, Edinburgh: William Tait 1837, New York 1840, Archives
- The Phenomena and Order of the Solar System, Edinburgh: William Tait 1838
- Contemplations on the Solar System, Edinburgh: William Tait 1844
- Thoughts on Some Important Points Relating to the System of the World, 1846
- The Stellar Universe. Edinburgh: John Johnstone 1848, Archives
- The Planet Neptune: An Exposition and History. Edinburgh: John Johnstone 1848
- General Principles in Geology, the preface to Keith Johnston's Physical Atlas, 2nd edition 1856
- Cyclopedia of the Physical Sciences, London, Glasgow, 1857, Archives
Web links
- Biography at the University of Glasgow
- Biography in the Linda Hall Library
- Article in Dictionary of National Biography by Agnes Mary Clerke
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Nichol, John Pringle |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Scottish astronomer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 13, 1804 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Huntlyhill near Brechin |
| DATE OF DEATH | September 19, 1859 |