John Narrien facts for kids
John Narrien (born in 1782, died in 1860) was an English writer who focused on astronomy. He was also a respected teacher of mathematics.
Early Life and Career
John Narrien was born in 1782 in Chertsey, a town in Surrey, England. His father worked as a stonemason. For several years, John worked in an optician's shop in London. An optician's shop sells glasses and other tools for seeing.
In 1814, John Narrien joined the Royal Military College, Sandhurst as a teacher. This college trains army officers. By 1820, he became a professor of mathematics. He was a very important leader at the college for many years. In 1840, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a special honor for top scientists.
Contributions to Astronomy
John Narrien was also an astronomer. He observed a partial solar eclipse on May 6, 1845. He watched this event from the observatory at Sandhurst College.
Sadly, his eyesight began to fail. Because of this, he had to leave his job at Sandhurst in 1858. He also retired from the Royal Astronomical Society that same year. John Narrien passed away in Kensington on March 30, 1860. He was 77 years old.
His Writings
In 1833, Narrien published an important book. It was called An Historical Account of the Origin and Progress of Astronomy. This book told the story of how astronomy developed over time.
He also wrote several mathematics textbooks. These books were used by students at Sandhurst College. Some of his well-known textbooks include:
- Elements of Geometry (published in London, 1842)
- Practical Astronomy and Geodesy (published in 1845)
- Analytical Geometry (published in 1846)
