Francis Graham-Smith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Francis Graham Smith
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Smith in 2009
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| Born | 25 April 1923 |
| Died | 20 June 2025 (aged 102) |
| Education | Rossall School |
| Alma mater | University of Cambridge |
| Spouse(s) |
Elizabeth Graham Smith
(died 2021) |
| Awards | Royal Medal (1970) Richard Glazebrook Medal and Prize (1991) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Radio astronomy |
| Institutions |
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| Doctoral students | Andrew Lyne |
Sir Francis Graham-Smith (born April 25, 1923 – died June 20, 2025) was a famous British astronomer. He was known for his important work in radio astronomy, which is the study of radio waves coming from space. From 1982 to 1990, he held the special title of Astronomer Royal, which is a very important position in British science. He was also knighted in 1986, which means he received the title "Sir."
Contents
Early Life and Education
Francis Graham-Smith was born on April 25, 1923. He went to Rossall School for his early education. Later, in 1941, he began studying at Downing College, Cambridge, which is part of the University of Cambridge.
Career in Astronomy
Early Research
In the late 1940s, Graham-Smith started his career at the University of Cambridge. He worked on a special tool called the Long Michelson Interferometer. This device helped scientists study radio waves from space in new ways.
Leading Observatories
In 1964, Francis Graham-Smith became a Professor of Radio Astronomy at the University of Manchester. He later became the director of the Nuffield Radio Astronomy Laboratories in 1981. These laboratories are part of the University of Manchester and are located at Jodrell Bank, a famous place for studying space.
He also served as the Director of the Royal Greenwich Observatory from 1975 to 1981. This observatory is very important in the history of astronomy.
Published Works
Graham-Smith wrote several books about astronomy, often with other scientists. These books helped teach many people about the universe and how we study it. Some of his well-known books include:
- Optics (with J.H. Thompson)
- Pathways to the Universe (with Bernard Lovell)
- Pulsar Astronomy (with Andrew Lyne)
- An Introduction to Radio Astronomy (with Bernard F. Burke and Peter N. Wilkinson)
- Unseen Cosmos
- Eyes on the Sky: A Spectrum of Telescopes
Personal Life
Francis Graham-Smith had an interesting hobby: he was a very keen bee-keeper. He continued to look after bee hives at Jodrell Bank even when he was in his 90s! His love for bees even inspired the creation of a beekeeping society at the University of St Andrews.
He lived with his wife, Elizabeth, in a place called the Old School House in Henbury, Cheshire. They lived there from 1981 until Elizabeth passed away in 2021. They first met in 1945–1946 while working together in Cambridge.
Graham-Smith was also a supporter of Humanists UK. He was the President of the Macclesfield Astronomical Society and a patron of the Mansfield and Sutton Astronomical Society.
He celebrated his 100th birthday on April 25, 2023. Sir Francis Graham-Smith passed away on June 20, 2025, at the age of 102.
Awards and Recognition
Sir Francis Graham-Smith received many awards and honors for his important contributions to science:
- He was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1970. This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK.
- He received the Royal Medal from the Royal Society in 1987.
- He was the president of the Royal Astronomical Society from 1975 to 1977.
- He served as the thirteenth Astronomer Royal from 1982 to 1990.
- In 1991, he was given the Richard Glazebrook Medal and Prize.
In 1965, he was invited to give one of the famous Royal Institution Christmas Lectures. These lectures are designed to make science exciting and understandable for young people. His lecture was titled Exploration of the Universe.
