Arthur Robert Hinks facts for kids

Arthur Robert Hinks (born May 26, 1873 – died April 14, 1945) was a smart British scientist. He was an astronomer, who studies stars and space, and a geographer, who studies Earth's features and maps.

He is famous for figuring out the exact distance from the Sun to the Earth. This important measurement is now called the astronomical unit. Later in his career, he focused on surveying and making maps. This work was a natural fit, as it also involved understanding distances and locations.

Arthur Hinks's Work in Astronomy

Starting His Journey in Science

Arthur Hinks went to Whitgift School and then to Trinity College, Cambridge. He earned his first degree in 1892.

Measuring the Earth-Sun Distance

Hinks first planned to measure how far away stars were. But then, a special chance came up in 1898. Scientists discovered a small space rock called 433 Eros. They realized Eros would pass very close to Earth in 1900-1901.

Eros came within about 30 million miles (48 million kilometers) of Earth. This was super close for space objects! Because it was so near, scientists could measure its position very precisely. This helped them figure out the distance from the Sun to the Earth. This distance is now known as the astronomical unit.

Many observatories around the world worked together on this project. Arthur Hinks led the observations from the Cambridge Observatory. He spent three months trying to observe Eros, even though the weather in Cambridge was often cloudy. Luckily, he used a special camera on his telescope. He took about 500 photos of Eros, which were much more accurate than older methods.

Hinks shared Cambridge's results in 1901. But the big job was to combine all the results from the fifty-eight observatories. This was a huge task! Hinks noticed some differences in the measurements from different places. So, in 1904, he published his own early result for the Sun-Earth distance.

He kept working on this problem for years. In 1909, the final result was published. The distance from the Sun to Earth was found to be slightly larger than what was previously thought. This was a major achievement in astronomy!

Calculating the Moon's Mass

As a bonus from his work, Hinks was also able to figure out how the mass of the Earth compares to the mass of the Moon. He found that Earth is about 81.5 times heavier than the Moon.

Later Thoughts on Astronomy

In 1914, Hinks left the Cambridge Observatory. He felt that the field of astronomy was changing a lot. New ideas like general relativity were becoming very important. Hinks felt that these new topics were hard for him to understand. He said he felt "hopelessly outclassed" by the new astronomy.

Arthur Hinks's Work in Geography

Starting a New Path

In 1903, Hinks took a course in surveying at a military school. Surveying is about measuring and mapping land. This new skill helped him support his family. That same year, he became a senior assistant at the Cambridge Observatory. He also became the secretary of the Royal Astronomical Society.

In 1908, Hinks got a teaching job at the Cambridge School of Geography. He taught about surveying and cartography, which is the art of making maps. This job was supported by the Royal Geographical Society (RGS). In 1911, he became a member of the RGS. He later became its secretary in 1915, a role he held until he died. As secretary, he also edited The Geographical Journal, a famous geography magazine.

During the First World War, Hinks used his mapping skills to help the military. He created maps and did other important geographical work. He also helped with reports about new country borders after the war.

Mount Everest Expeditions

Hinks played a big role in organizing the first expeditions to Mount Everest. He was a joint secretary of the Mount Everest Committee. This group wanted to be the first to climb the world's highest mountain.

The first expedition in 1921 found a possible route to the top. A second expedition was sent in 1922. They didn't reach the summit, but some climbers set a new altitude record. Sadly, an avalanche during this expedition killed seven local guides called Sherpas.

Another expedition was planned for 1924. Hinks made a controversial decision about who could join. He didn't allow George Finch, who had set the altitude record, to go. Hinks wanted the first person to reach the summit to be British. George Mallory and Andrew Irvine went on this expedition. They died during their attempt to reach the summit. This tragic event stopped Everest climbs for several years.

Books and Later Interests

Hinks wrote two important textbooks: Map Projections (1912) and Maps and Survey (1913). After the war, he worked on developing radio time signals. He also worked on geodesy, which is the science of measuring Earth's shape and gravity. These interests were closely connected to his earlier work in astronomy.

Awards and Recognition

Arthur Hinks received many awards for his important work:

• 1910: Prix Leconte from the French Academy of Sciences
• 1911: Became a member of the Royal Geographical Society (FRGS)
• 1912: Received the Gold Medal from the Royal Astronomical Society
• 1913: Became a member of the Royal Society (FRS)
• 1913: Appointed Gresham Professor of Astronomy, a teaching position he held until 1941
• 1920: Awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
• 1938: Received the Victoria Medal from the Royal Geographical Society
• 1943: Received the Cullum Geographical Medal from the American Geographical Society
• 2003: A ridge on the asteroid 433 Eros was named Hinks Dorsum in his honor. This was because of his important work in measuring the Earth-Sun distance using Eros.