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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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Edmond Halley
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(first name often spelt Edmund, 1656–1742) Astronomer who at the age of 20 travelled to St Helena to spend two years cataloguing the stars of the southern hemisphere, to complement the work that *Flamsteed was doing for the northern hemisphere. The publication of his catalogue in 1679 established him among the leading scientists in the early years of the *Royal Society. He became a close friend of *Newton and personally provided the funds which enabled the Society to print his Principia. He succeeded Flamsteed as *astronomer royal in 1720.
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Like all scientists of his time his interests were wide (the pattern of the earth's winds, the salinity of the sea, the age of the earth and much else in addition to the normal concerns of astronomy), but he is remembered in particular for the comet which now bears his name. Observing the orbit of a comet in 1682, he saw a resemblance to others reported in 1531 and 1607. He argued that this was a single comet with a period of about 76 years, and correctly predicted that it would return in 1758. The most recent reappearance of *Halley's comet, more intensely studied than ever before, was in 1986.
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