Sir George Biddell Airy (1801-1892) was a prominent English mathematician and astronomer. Here are some key highlights about his life and work:

Early Life and Education

• Birth: Born on July 27, 1801, in Alnwick, Northumberland, England.
• Education: Educated at Colchester Royal Grammar School and later attended Trinity College, Cambridge, where he excelled in mathematics.

Career and Achievements

• Lucasian Professor of Mathematics: Held this prestigious position at Cambridge from 1826 to 1828.
• Plumian Professor of Astronomy: Served as the director of the Cambridge Observatory from 1828.
• Astronomer Royal: Appointed the seventh Astronomer Royal in 1835, a position he held for over 45 years until 1881.
• Prime Meridian: Established Greenwich as the location of the prime meridian, which is the reference line for longitude.
• Scientific Contributions: Made significant contributions to the study of planetary orbits, the mean density of the Earth, and the correction of astigmatism in the human eye.

Legacy

• Airy Disk: The central spot of light in the diffraction pattern of a point light source, known as the Airy disk, is named after him.
• Reputation: While his contributions were significant, his reputation was somewhat tarnished by the controversy surrounding the delayed discovery of Neptune.

Sir George Biddell Airy’s work had a lasting impact on astronomy and mathematics.