He received some consolation for
this particular disappointment by the fact that, in 1696, owing to
Newton's friendly influence, he was appointed deputy Controller of
the Mint at Chester, an office which he did not retain for long, as
it was abolished two years later. At last, in 1703, he received what
he had before vainly sought, and he was appointed to the Savilian
chair.
His observations of the eclipse of the sun, which occurred in 1715,
added greatly to Halley's reputation. This phenomenon excited
special attention, inasmuch as it was the first total eclipse of the
sun which had been visible in London since the year 1140. Halley
undertook the necessary calculations, and predicted the various
circumstances with a far higher degree of precision than the official
announcement. He himself observed the phenomenon from the Royal
Society's rooms, and he minutely describes the outer atmosphere of
the sun, now known as the corona; without, however, offering an
opinion as to whether it was a solar or a lunar appendage.
At last Halley was called to the dignified office which he of all men
was most competent to fill. On February 9th, 1720, he was appointed
Astronomer Royal in succession to Flamsteed. He found things at the
Royal Observatory in a most unsatisfactory state.
Pages:
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207