Abraham Sharp facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abraham Sharp
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | c. 1653 Little Horton, Bradford, Kingdom of England
|
| Died | 18 July 1742 Little Horton, Bradford, Kingdom of Great Britain
|
| Nationality | English |
Abraham Sharp (born around 1653 – died 18 July 1742) was a very clever English mathematician and astronomer. He was known for his amazing calculation skills and for helping to improve scientific instruments.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Abraham Sharp was born in a place called Horton Hall in Little Horton, which is near Bradford, England. His father, John Sharp, was a successful merchant. Abraham went to Bradford Grammar School for his education.
In 1669, he started working as an apprentice for a merchant. Later, he became a school teacher in Liverpool. After that, he worked as a bookkeeper in London.
Sharp had a deep understanding of both mathematics and astronomy. His skills caught the eye of John Flamsteed, who was a very famous astronomer at the time.
Work at Greenwich Observatory
Because of Flamsteed, Abraham Sharp was invited to work at the Greenwich Royal Observatory in 1688. This was a big deal! At the Observatory, he did important work. He helped make the scientific instruments better and more accurate. He was also incredibly good at calculations.
He even published his own books, including Geometry Improved and special tables for logarithms. These tables helped people do complex math problems faster.
Amazing Calculations
One of Sharp's most famous achievements was calculating the mathematical constant pi (π). He figured out pi to 72 decimal places! For a short time, he held the world record for this calculation. Later, another mathematician named John Machin calculated even more digits in 1706.
Star Maps and Legacy
Abraham Sharp moved back to Little Horton in 1694. He helped create the Atlas Coelestis, which was the biggest star map of its time. This atlas included 26 maps of the main constellations you could see from Greenwich. It also had two planispheres, which are special maps of the sky, designed by Sharp himself.
Abraham Sharp never married. He passed away in Little Horton in 1742. He was the great-uncle of Jesse Ramsden, who later became a famous maker of scientific instruments.
A special memorial tablet in Bradford Cathedral describes him as one of the most skilled mathematicians of his time. It says he was good friends with famous people like Flamsteed and Isaac Newton. It also mentions that he helped create very accurate astronomical tables and improved many instruments.
The crater Sharp on the Moon is named after him, honoring his contributions to astronomy.
