Alexander Aubert facts for kids
Alexander Aubert (1730–1805) was an important English amateur astronomer and businessman. He was also a member of the Royal Society and the Society of Antiquaries of London.
Contents
Early Life and Business
Alexander Aubert was born in London on May 11, 1730. When he was a schoolboy in Geneva, he saw the amazing Great Comet of 1744. This made him very interested in astronomy.
Even with his love for stars, he prepared for a business career. He worked in offices in Geneva, Leghorn, and Genoa. In 1750, he visited Rome during a special Christian year called the Jubilee.
In 1751, he returned to London. The next year, he joined his father's business. He later became a director and then a governor of the London Assurance Company. This was a big insurance company at the time.
A Passion for Astronomy
Alexander Aubert was very dedicated to science. He became a member of the Royal Society in 1772. This is a famous group for scientists. In 1784, he also joined the Society of Antiquaries, which studies history.
He loved observing the sky. He watched the transit of Venus in 1769 from London. A transit is when a planet passes directly in front of the Sun. Later, in 1786, he observed the transit of Mercury. He did this from his own observatory.
He built this observatory at Loampit Hill, near Deptford. It had the best instruments from famous makers like Short, Bird, Ramsden, and Dollond. It was one of the best private observatories in England. In 1788, he bought a new house called Highbury House in Islington. There, he built an even better observatory with help from his friend, the engineer John Smeaton.
Community Work and Legacy
Alexander Aubert also used his skills to help his community. He was chosen to lead a group finishing the Ramsgate Harbour. His hard work helped make this important project a success.
He also helped organize local community groups. For example, in 1797, he helped create the 'Loyal Islington Volunteers.' This was a local group that helped keep order and defend the area.
Alexander Aubert passed away on October 19, 1805, at the age of 75. He was highly respected in both science and business. People liked him because he was friendly and generous. After he died, his valuable astronomy books and instruments were sold.
His Scientific Writings
Alexander Aubert wrote two short papers that were published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. This is a very old and respected science journal.
- One paper was about A New Method of finding Time by Equal Altitudes. This was a way to figure out the exact time using observations of stars.
- The other paper was An Account of the Meteors of 18 Aug and 4 Oct 1783. This described his observations of meteors, which are often called "shooting stars."
