| Authorised form of name | Flamsteed; John (1646 - 1719); astronomer |
| Dates | 1646 - 1719 |
| Nationality | British |
| Place of birth | Denby, Derbyshire, England, Europe |
| Date of birth | 19 August 1646 |
| Place of death | Greenwich, London, England, Europe |
| Date of death | 31 December 1719 |
| Dates and places | Burial:
The chancel of Burstow parish church, Surrey, England, Europe (12 January 1720) |
| Occupation | Astronomer; Clergyman, Church of England |
| Research field | Astronomy |
| Activity | Education:
Derby School; Jesus College, Cambridge (MA Lit. Reg. 1674)
Career:
Left school because of an attack of rheumatism (1662); travelled to Ireland in search of a cure; went to London (1670) where he met Henry Oldenburg (FRS 1663) and Sir Jonas Moore (FRS 1674), who became his patron; ordained (1675); appointed first Astronomer Royal by Royal Warrant (1675-1719); used his own instruments, which were removed by his widow after his death; Vicar of Burstow, Surrey (1684); on 12 December 1709 Queen Anne appointed a Board of Visitors of the Royal Observatory made up of the president and council of the Royal Society, authorizing them to demand a copy of each year's observations, to direct what observations should be made, and to examine the observatory's instruments; his observations were published to his very high standards posthumously in 1725 edited by his wife Margaret, and his 'Atlas Coelestis' in 1729, where the editor was again his wife with Crosthwait and Sharp responsible for the technical side
Memberships:
Oxford Philosophical Society |
| Membership category | Fellow |
| Date of election | 08/02/1677 |
| Age at election | 30 |
| Date of ejection or withdrawal | 09/11/1709 |
| Royal Society activity | Royal Society roles:
Council 1681, 1683, 1685, 1692, 1694, 1699 |
| Other Royal Society activity | Frequent correspondent to Henry Oldenburg;
Sent in his astronomical observations and predictions (early 1670s);
The Society ended his exemption from dues and used this as a reason to expel him |
| Relationships | Parents: Stephen Flamsteed and Mary Spatemen
Married: Margaret Cooke |
| Published works | RCN: 40247
RCN: 39362
RCN: 39361
RCN: 39360
RCN: 39359
RCN: R79741
RCN: 17514
RCN: 40397 |
| General context | Flamsteed is most remembered for the founding of the Royal Greenwich Observatory, his subsequent appointment as first Astronomer Royal, as well as the posthumous publications of 'Catalogus Britannicus' and 'Atlas Coelestis'. His constant refusal to publish his observations unless they were perfect led to conflict with Isaac Newton (FRS 1672) and Edmond Halley (FRS 1678). Halley later published an incomplete version of the star catalogue, which Flamsteed condemned. He burnt most of Halley's unsold copies of the catalogue and reportedly kept some to display the errors. His wife was editor for both posthumous publications. One of the moon's craters is named after him, as is the asteroid 4987 Flamsteed. |
| Related images | Discover a selection of related images in our picture library |
| Image | 
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| Sources | Sources:
Bulloch's Roll; DNB; DSB; Venn; Hunter; Gunther; ODNB
References:
Appleby, J H. 2003. 'The founding of St Petersburg in the context of the Royal Society's relationship with Russia', in Notes and Records, vol. 57, pp. 273-284
Chapman, A. 1999. ''Our Astronomical Observator', review of Frances Willmoth, ed., Flamsteed's Stars, New Perspectives on the Life and Work of the First Astronomer Royal (1646-1719)', in Notes and Records, vol. 53, pp. 170-171
Cook, A. 2003. '1703 and other anniversaries', in Notes and Records, vol. 57, pp. 1-2
Cook, A. 2003. 'The end of the affair. The correspondence of John Flamsteed, the first Astronomer Royal, vol 3 (1703-1719) by E G Forbes, L Murdin and F Willmoth', in Notes and Records, vol. 57, pp. 113-116
Cook, A. 2004. 'Rome and the Royal Society, 1660-1740', in Notes and Records, vol. 58, pp. 3-19
Cook, Sir A. 1998. ''Greenwich Comes of Age', review of Eric G Forbes, Lesley Murdin and Frances Willmoth, The Correspondence of John Flamsteed, the First Astronomer Royal. Volume Two, 1682-1703', in Notes and Records, vol. 52, pp. 191-193
Croarken, M. 2003. 'Astronomical labourers: Maskelyne's assistants at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, 1765 - 1811', in Notes and Records, vol. 57, pp. 273-284
Da Costa Andrade, E N. 1965. 'The Birth and Early Days of the Philosophical Transactions', in Notes and Records, vol. 20, pp. 9-27
Forbes, Eric G. 1973-74. 'The Library of the Rev. John Flamsteed, FRS, First Astronomer Royal', in Notes and Records, vol. 28, pp. 119-143
Hall, M B. 1974-75. 'The Royal Society's Role in the Diffusion of Information in the Seventeenth Century', in Notes and Records, vol. 29, pp. 173-192
Hughes, D W. 1988. 'The Principia and Comets', in Notes and Records, vol. 42, pp. 53-74
Lovell, Sir B. 1975-76. 'Address at Westminster Abbey, on the Occasion of the Tercentenary of the Royal Greenwich Observatory', in Notes and Records, vol. 30, pp. 127-132
M Croarken, 'Astronomical labourers: Maskelyne's assistants at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, 1765 - 1811' in NR 2003 vol 57 pp 285 - 298
McCrea, W H. 1975-76. 'The Royal Observatory and the Study of Gravitation', in Notes and Records, vol. 30, pp. 133-140
Meadows, A J. 1996. ''John Flamsteed, Our Astronomical Observator', review of The Correspondence of John Flamsteed, First Astronomer Royal. Volume I (1666-1682), ed. Eric G Forbes et al', in Notes and Records, vol. 50, pp. 250-253
Spencer Jones, Sir H. 1956-57. 'Halley as an Astronomer', in Notes and Records, vol. 12, pp. 175-192
Whiteside, D T. 1991. 'The Prehistory of the Principia from 1664 to 1686', in Notes and Records, vol. 45, pp. 11-61 |
| Virtual International Authority File | http://viaf.org/viaf/64164356 |
| Royal Society code | NA8219 |
| Reference number | Title | Date |
| IM/001436 | Flamsteed, John | nd |
| EL/F1/74a | Tables of astronomical predictions by John Flamsteed | 14 September 1671 |
| IM/001434 | Flamsteed, John | nd |
| RBO/5/20 | 'An Observation Of the variation of the Needle made by Mr Flamsteed' | 1680 |
| EL/F1/124 | John Flamsteed to Henry Oldenburg | nd |
| EL/F1/78a | 'De Lunae ad Pleiades reliquas Applicationibus Anno 1672' by John Flamsteed | 1671 |
| EL/F1/120 | John Flamsteed, dated at Greenwich, to Jonas Moore | 27 July 1676 |
| EL/H2/56 | Johannes Hevelius to John Flamsteed | 1682 |
| EL/F1/93 | 'Lunae ad fixas appulsus Londini' by John Flamsteed | 1673 |
| RBO/8/57 | Observations of the vernal equinox by John Flamsteed | nd |
| EL/F1/110 | Copy of a letter from John Flamsteed to Jean Cassini | 1675 |
| EL/F1/119 | Observations of the recent solar eclipse by John Flamsteed | 10 July 1676 |
| EL/F1/78b | Astronomical predictions by John Flamsteed | 1671 |
| RBO/6/15 | 'An Account of a Spott seen in the Sun from the 25 of Aprill to the 8th of May instant with the line of its Course predicted if it make a second Returne' by John Flamsteed | 1684 |
| EL/W3/90 | Richard Waller to John Flamsteed | July 1714 |
| EL/F1/129 | Observations of the solar eclipse by John Flamsteed | 1706 |
| EL/F1/102 | Copy of a letter from John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Jean Cassini | September 1673 |
| EL/F1/64 | John Flamsteed to Henry Oldenburg | 13 December 1670 |
| EL/F1/128 | Copy of astronomical observations of the vernal equinox by John Flamsteed | nd |
| RBO/6/2 | 'Table of the Eclipses of the Satellites of Jupiter Calculated for the year 1684' by John Flamsteed with instructions for its use | 19 December 1683 |
| IM/001430 | Flamsteed, John | nd |
| MM/17/112 | Letter from Alfred Savill and Sons, Surveyors, to Herbert Rix, Assistant Secretary, Royal Society | 19 October 1894 |
| DM/5/47 | Draft of a letter from Isaac Newton to the Board of Ordnance, giving the recommendations of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, as regards certain improvements needed there | c.1710 |
| S/0014 | Sculpture bust of Flamsteed, John | |
| IM/001432 | Flamsteed, John | 1995 |
| IM/001433 | Flamsteed, John | 2001 |
| IM/001435 | Flamsteed, John | nd |
| IM/005370 | Flamsteed, John | 1996 |
| MS/366/5/4 | Subsidium Selenographicum by John Flamsteed | 1669 |
| NLB/5/109 | Copy letter from John Evans, to Messrs Savill & Son | 20 March 1891 |
| NLB/10/210 | Copy letter from Herbert Rix, to Messrs Savill & Son, 39 New Broad Street, E.C. | 22 October 1894 |
| NLB/10/96 | Copy letter from Herbert Rix, to Messrs Savill & Son, Surveyors, 39 New Broad Street, E.C. | 27 September 1894 |
| LBO/4/47 | Copy extract of a letter from John Flamsteed to Henry Oldenburg | 16 November 1670 |
| MS/390/75 | Bond of John Flamsteed to the Treasurer of the Royal Society | 3 January 1682 |
| CLP/10iii/33/2 | Plate, kilning process by [John Flamsteed] | [1679] |
| NLB/65/537 | Copy letter from Francis Alexander Towle, Assistant Secretary of the Royal Society; to W. A. Holder, Esq.; 60 Brook Street, W.1. | 15 November 1923 |
| CLP/22ii/15 | Paper, Account of [John] Flamstead's 'Historia coelestis Britannica tribus volumnibus contenta [The heavenly history - star atlas - of the British people, complete volumes]' by Mr [James] Hodgson | [1725] |
| P/0151 | Portrait of Flamsteed, John | |
| CLP/10iii/33/1 | Manuscript, 'The historye of maltinge' by J F [John Flamsteed] | [1679] |
| EL/F1/79 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 5 February 1671 |
| EL/F1/113 | John Flamsteed, dated at Greenwich, to Sir Jonas Moore | 24 December 1675 |
| EL/F1/100 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 6 August 1673 |
| EL/S2/31 | Hans Sloane, dated at Crane Court, to John Flamsteed | 5 March 1713 |
| EL/F1/118 | Copy of a letter from John Flamsteed to Johannes Hevelius | 1676 |
| EL/F1/104 | 'Lunae ad fixas Appulsus Derbiae Anno 1674' by John Flamsteed | 1673 |
| IM/000503 | Quartet engraving | nd |
| EL/F1/112 | 'Lunae totaliter deficientis observationes' by John Flamsteed, Astronomer Royal | 1675 |
| MS/243 | John Flamsteed papers | 1673-1687 |
| P/0041 | Portrait of Flamsteed, John | 1712 |
| MOB/020 | Glass lens by John Flamsteed | early 17th century |
| MS/366/5/5 | Luna ad Fixas Saturnum, anno 1671. Appulsus observabiles predicti et Ad meridianum latitudinum, Londini at tuato supputati a Johannae flamsteedio. | 1670 |
| MS/710 | Letters to Robert Were Fox and to other members of the Fox family | 1801-1873 |
| CLP/10iii/33 | Paper, 'The historye of maltinge' by J F [John Flamsteed] | [1679] |
| EL/F1/76 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 21 November 1671 |
| EL/F1/88 | 'Lunae ad Pleiades Appulsus Anno 1672 Feb 23' by John Flamsteed | 1672 |
| EL/F1/115 | John Flamsteed to Henry Oldenburg | 7 March 1676 |
| EL/C1/82 | Jean Dominique Cassini, dated at Paris, to John Flamsteed | 15 June 1682 |
| EL/F1/98 | Copy of a letter from John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Jean Cassini | 7 July 1673 |
| EL/F1/91 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 28 August 1672 |
| EL/F1/81 | Copy of a letter from John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to John Collins | 1 January 1672 |
| EL/F1/94 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 17 February 1673 |
| EL/F1/111 | John Flamsteed to Henry Oldenburg | 1675 |
| EL/F1/71 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 4 July 1671 |
| EL/F1/103 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 3 December 1673 |
| EL/F1/77 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 2 December 1671 |
| EL/F1/109 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 25 January 1674 |
| EL/F1/108 | Extract of letter from John Flamsteed to John Collins | 14 December 1674 |
| EL/F1/67 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 18 February 1670 |
| EL/F1/99 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to John Collins | 12 July 1673 |
| EL/H2/49 | Johannes Hevelius, dated at Danzig (Gdansk), to John Flamsteed | 2 January 1677 |
| EL/F1/84 | Extract of a letter from John Flamsteed to John Collins | 18 March 1671 |
| EL/F1/66a | List of astronomical calculations from John Flamsteed | 1670 |
| EL/F1/90 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 12 August 1672 |
| EL/F1/97 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 19 April 1673 |
| EL/F1/125 | John Flamsteed, dated The Observatory [Greenwich], to Henry Oldenburg | 5 April 1677 |
| EL/C1/67 | Copy of a letter from Jean Dominique Cassini to John Flamsteed | 11 February 1676 |
| EL/F1/130 | John Flamsteed's proposal for 'Historia Brittannica Coelestis' to Hans Sloane | nd |
| EL/F1/83 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to John Collins | 18 March 1671 |
| EL/F1/72 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 1 August 1671 |
| EL/F1/117 | Copy of a letter from John Flamsteed, dated at Greenwich, to Jean Cassini | 1675 |
| EL/F1/114 | John Flamsteed to Henry Oldenburg | 1675 |
| EL/F1/69 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 29 May 1671 |
| EL/F1/95 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 20 February 1672 |
| EL/F1/65 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 3 January 1670 |
| EL/F1/63 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 5 December 1670 |
| EL/F1/122 | John Flamsteed to Henry Oldenburg | 30 November 1676 |
| EL/F1/123 | John Flamsteed to Henry Oldenburg | 30 January 1676 |
| EL/F1/106 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 28 March 1674 |
| EL/F1/70 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Thomas Wilson | 3 July 1671 |
| EL/F1/73 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 23 August 1671 |
| EL/T/29 | Copy of Richard Towneley's letter to John Flamsteed | 1675 |
| EL/O2/123 | Henry Oldenburg, dated at London, to John Flamsteed | 9 August 1673 |
| EL/F1/105 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 9 December 1673 |
| EL/F1/126 | John Flamsteed, dated at Greenwich, to Henry Oldenburg | 1677 |
| EL/F1/74 | John Flamsteed to Henry Oldenburg | September 1671 |
| EL/F1/62 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 16 November 1670 |
| EL/F1/85 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 1 April 1672 |
| EL/F1/82 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 5 March 1672 |
| EL/F1/87 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 25 July 1672 |
| EL/W3/81 | Copy of a letter from Richard Waller, dated at Crane Court, to John Flamsteed | 4 March 1714 |
| EL/F1/116 | Copy of a letter from John Flamsteed to Johannes Hevelius | 1675 |
| EL/F1/107 | Extract of letter from John Flamsteed to John Collins | 25 November 1674 |
| EL/C1/59 | Copy of a letter from Jean Dominique Cassini to John Flamsteed | 11 August 1673 |
| EL/F1/96 | Observations of Jupiter by John Flamsteed | 1673 |
| EL/F1/68 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 13 May 1671 |
| EL/F1/59 | John Flamsteed to Henry Oldenburg | 26 February 1669 |
| EL/F1/89 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 27 July 1672 |
| EL/F1/60 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 11 April 1670 |
| EL/F1/61 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 30 May 1670 |
| EL/F1/57 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 7 February 1669 |
| EL/F1/101 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 24 August 1673 |
| EL/H2/44 | Copy of a letter, from Johannes Hevelius to John Flamsteed | 1676 |
| EL/F1/80 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 10 February 1671 |
| EL/N1/64 | Copy of a letter to John Flamsteed from a committee of the Royal Society, dated at Crane Court | 1712 |
| EL/F1/127 | John Flamsteed, dated The Observatory [Greenwich], to Henry Oldenburg | 17 August 1677 |
| EL/F1/66 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 28 January 1670 |
| EL/F1/75 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 15 November 1671 |
| EL/O2/126 | Henry Oldenburg, dated at London, to John Flamsteed | 14 August 1673 |
| CLP/24/88/28 | Drawing, 'Observations of the comet by Mr Flamsteed' by John Flamsteed | 4 September 1682 |
| CLP/24/88/31 | Drawing, Comet observation by Robert Hooke | 13-22 July 1683 |
| EL/F1/86 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 30 May 1672 |
| EL/C1/61 | Copy of a letter from Jean Dominique Cassini, dated at Paris, to John Flamsteed | 8 November 1673 |
| EL/F1/78 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 23 December 1671 |
| EL/F1/92 | John Flamsteed, dated at Derby, to Henry Oldenburg | 16 November 1672 |
| EL/O2/19 | Henry Oldenburg, dated at London, to John Flamsteed | 14 January 1670 |
| EL/O2/40 | Henry Oldenburg, dated at London, to John Flamsteed | 22 December 1670 |