| Authorised form of name | Graham-Smith; Sir; Francis (1923-2025); astronomer |
| Other forms of name | Francis Graham- |
| Other forms of surname | Smith |
| Dates | 1923-2025 |
| Nationality | British |
| Place of birth | London, England, United Kingdom |
| Date of birth | 25 April 1923 |
| Date of death | 20 June 2025 |
| Occupation | Astronomer |
| Research field | Radio astronomy |
| Astronomy |
| Activity | Education: Rossall School, Fleet-wood, Lancashire; Downing College, Cambridge 1941
Career:
Worked on the Long Michelson Interferometer, University of Cambridge (1940s); Professor of Radio Astronomy at The University of Manchester (1964); Director of the Royal Greenwich Observatory (1975-1981); Director of the Nuffield Radio Astronomy Laboratories, part of the University of Manchester at Jodrell Bank (1981); became the 13th Astronomer Royal (1982-1990); Director of the Royal Greenwich Observatory at Herstmonceux (1985); Professor Emeritus, Jodrell Bank Observatory, University of Manchester.
Honours:
Kt 1986
Memberships:
RAS ( President 1975-1977)
FInstP
Awards/Medals:
Richard Glazebrook Medal and Prize 1991 |
| Membership category | Fellow |
| Date of election | 19/03/1970 |
| Age at election | 46 |
| RSActivity | Royal Society roles:
Council: 1988-1994; Sec 1988-1994; VP 1988-1994
Medals and prizes:
Royal Medal 1987 |
| Relationships | Parents: Claud Smith, civil servant, and Cicely (nee Kingston).
Spouse: (m. 1945) Elizabeth Graham-Smith (nee Palmer) (d. 2021).
Children: One daughter and three sons. |
| PublishedWorks | RCN 51837
RCN 57037
RCN 6220
RCN 20522
RCN 58163
RCN 6614
RCN 57036 |
| OtherInfo | Distinguished for his contributions to Radio Astronomy.
He was associated with the early investigations of galactic radio emission and in 1948 with Ryle discovered the intense Cassiopeia radio source. It was Smith's precise determination of the co-ordinates of the Cygnus radio source which justified the search with the 200 inch Palomar telescope leading to the first of the identifications of peculiar and extremely remote objects in the universe. Smith's mastery of the radio astronomical techniques subsequently enabled him to undertake a series of important researches both by ground based systems and at the low frequency end of the spectrum in the UK.2 satellite.
His success in detecting radio pulses from large cosmic ray showers has recently opened an important new field of research.
He was an avid bee keeper and looked after the hives at Jodrell Bank.
He was a patron of Humanists UK. |
| Source | Royal Astronomical Society, Sir Francis Graham-Smith, 1923–2025, Sam Tonkin, 25 June 2025, [URL: https://ras.ac.uk/news-and-press/news/sir-francis-graham-smith-1923-2025; last accessed: 03/09/2025]
The University of Manchester, Professor Tim O'Brien, Goodbye to a founder of radio astronomy, 25 June 2025, [URL: https://www.manchester.ac.uk/about/news/goodbye-to-a-founder-of-radio-astronomy/; last accessed: 03/09/2025]
University of Cambridge, Cavendish Laboratory Department of Physics, Sir Francis Graham-Smith (1923-2025), 24 June 2025, [URL: https://www.phy.cam.ac.uk/news/sir-francis-graham-smith-1923-2025/; last accessed: 03/09/2025]
The Guardian (USA), Sir Francis Graham-Smith obituary, Michael Rowan-Robinson, 24 July 2025, [URL: https://www.pressreader.com/usa/the-guardian-usa/20250724/282668988399673; last accessed: 03/09/2025] |
| Code | NA4145 |
Archives associated with this Fellow
| RefNo | Title | Date |
| IM/004272 | Graham Smith, Sir Francis | nd |
| IM/001737 | Graham-Smith, Sir Francis | February 2002 |
| IM/GA/GRS/7813 | Graham Smith, Sir Francis | nd |
| IM/001484 | Follett, Brian Keith and Smith, Sir Francis Graham | 1990 |
| CMB/356/e | Minutes of the Committee on the Public Understanding of Science [COPUS] Grants Panel | 1999-2003 |
| CMB/356/d | Minutes of ad-hoc group to allocate grants, Committee on the Public Understanding of Science [COPUS] | 1991-1998 |
| CMB/356/f | Minutes of the Committee on the Public Understanding of Science [COPUS] Michael Faraday Award nominations panel | 1991-1998 |
| EC/1970/25 | Graham Smith, Francis: certificate of election to the Royal Society | |
| CMB/356/c | Minutes of the Committee on the Public Understanding of Science [COPUS] | 1992-2002 |