Person Fowler; Alfred (1868 - 1940); astrophysicist Fowler Alfred astrophysicist 1868 - 1940 British Male Wilsden, Bradford, Yorkshire, England 22 March 1868 18680322 1 Montpelier Avenue, Ealing, Middlesex, England 24/06/1940 19400624

Astrophysicist Astronomy Astrophysics Education: Two elementary schools, entering the trade and grammar school (1880); awarded a Devonshire exhibition to the Normal School of Science [later absorbed into Imperial College, London]; first-class diploma in mechanics. Career: Assistant to Joseph Norman Lockyer (FRS 1869) at his solar physics observatory at South Kensington (1879) and demonstrator in astronomical physics (1888 onwards); appointed professor of astrophysics (1915); president of the Royal Astronomical Society (1919-1921); became one of the first Yarrow research professors of the Royal Society (1923); president of Section A of the British Association (1926); president of the Institute of Physics (1935-1937) Honours: CBE 1935 Awards: Valz Prize (1913) Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society (1915) Royal Medal (1918) Henry Draper Medal (1920) Bruce Medal (193) Memberships: FRAS Parents: Hiram Fowler and his Eliza Hill Spouse: Isabella, daughter of John Orr, a designer of dress materials Children: Two children, as on and a daughter Fowler devoted himself to study of the sun's atmosphere during total eclipses. He joined the British government expeditions of 1893, 1896, 1898, 1900, 1905, and 1914 to various parts of the world for this purpose. Played an active part in the administrative work of science both nationally and internationally. He was largely responsible for the organisation of the International Astronomical Union (founded in 1919), of which he was the first secretary. In 1896, Edward Charles Pickering observed unknown lines in the star Zeta Puppis' spectra, attributing them to hydrogen. Fowler experimentally reproduced these lines in 1912, supporting Pickering's interpretation. The Pickering–Fowler series, crucial for understanding atomic nature, emerged. Niels Bohr's theoretical analysis in his atomic structure trilogy refuted the hydrogen attribution, proposing ionized helium, He+. Initially skeptical, Fowler later accepted Bohr's conclusion, leading to the series definitively shifting from hydrogen to helium by 1915. Bohr's work prompted a re-examination of classical theories, confirming his atomic theory. Medals and prizes: Royal Medal 1918 Lectures: Bakerian 1914 and 1924 Fellow 05/05/1910 42 Hugh Frank Newall; William Henry Mahoney Christie; Herbert Hall Turner; Frank Watson Dyson; Hugh Longbourne Callendar; Henry Taylor Bovey; Robert John Strutt; Arthur Matthew Weld Downing; William Watson; William Augustus Tilden Sources: Bulloch's Roll; DNB; DSB Obituaries: Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society 1939-1941 vol 3 pp 483-497, plate, by Herbert Dingle International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) - Ottawa 1996 ISBN 0-9696035-3-3 National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/action/doSearch?ContribRaw=Fowler%2C+Alfred RCN 14280 22 Mar 1868 - 24 Jun 1940 The past Fellows entries are under continuous revision. If you have queries or additional information to contribute, please contact Library@royalsociety.org. Content in external sources is not controlled by the Royal Society and historical sources may include content that is now unacceptable. Reviewed on 22/01/2024 as part of the Name Authority Project update. NA6169 21/11/2001 Andyg Pmab 22/01/2024 RS_NET\VidaM Yes http://viaf.org/viaf/30293913 f3cbd8c0-1202-4115-a5b3-ee7ec7429d18