William Michael Herbert Greaves facts for kids
William Michael Herbert Greaves (born September 10, 1897, died December 24, 1955) was an important British astronomer. He was especially known for his studies on how light from stars can tell us what they are made of and how hot they are. This field is called stellar spectrophotometry.
Quick facts for kids
William Michael Herbert Greaves
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| Born | 10 September 1897 |
| Died | 24 December 1955 (aged 58) |
| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh |
| Spouse(s) | Caroline Grace Kitto |
| Children | George Richard Herbert Greaves |
| Awards | Fellow of the Royal Society FREng (2013) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | astronomy |
| Institutions | University of Cambridge |
Early Life and Education
William Greaves was born on the island of Barbados in the West Indies. His father, Dr. E. C. Greaves, was a doctor. William went to school in Barbados at Lodge School and Codrington College.
Later, he traveled to England to study at St. John's College, Cambridge, a part of Cambridge University. He finished his studies there in 1919. In 1922, he became a Fellow of the college, which is a special academic position.
Astronomy Career
William Greaves became a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1921. This society is for people who study space and stars.
From 1924 to 1938, he worked as the chief assistant at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. This is a very famous observatory in England.
In 1938, he was given a very important job: Astronomer Royal for Scotland. This meant he was the main astronomer for Scotland. He also became a professor of astronomy at the University of Edinburgh.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1939. This is another important group for scientists. He also served as the society's secretary and vice president. In 1943, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is one of the highest honors for scientists in the UK.
From 1947 to 1949, he was the president of the Royal Astronomical Society. He continued to be the Astronomer Royal for Scotland until 1955. He passed away in Edinburgh on December 24, 1955.
Family Life
In 1926, William Greaves married Caroline Grace Kitto. They had one son named George Richard Herbert Greaves. George was born in 1941 and later became a mathematics professor at Cardiff University. He passed away in 2008.
Awards and Honors
William Greaves received several awards for his work in astronomy:
- He won the Tyson Gold Medal for Astronomy.
- He was given Smith's prize in 1921.
- A crater on the Moon is named after him. It is called Greaves.
