author
William Radcliff Birt
1804–1881
A careful nineteenth-century sky watcher, he built a lasting reputation through patient observations of the Moon and the atmosphere. His name lives on in lunar science, where the crater Birt honors his work.
1 Audiobook
About the author
Born in London on July 15, 1804, William Radcliffe Birt was an English amateur astronomer who became well known for the precision and persistence of his observations. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, and later accounts of his life remembered him as a diligent worker whose scientific interests ranged widely.
Birt worked with John Herschel on meteorological research, especially studies of atmospheric waves, and he also devoted major effort to lunar observation. That combination of careful measurement and sustained curiosity helped make him a respected figure in Victorian astronomy.
He died on December 14, 1881. Part of his legacy survives both in archival collections of his papers and in the Moon itself: the crater Birt was named in his honor.