Skip to content
Vatican Observatory
  • About
    • Overview
    • Team
  • Telescopes
    • Overview
    • Telescope Images
  • Latest
    • Overview
    • Resources
    • Press
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Research
    • Authors
    • Newsletter
  • Podcast
  • Education
    • Overview
    • Resource Center
    • Image Gallery
    • Summer School
    • Books
    • FAQs
    • Software
    • Additional Resources
    • ACME
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Support
    • General
    • Sacred Space Astronomy
      • View Content
    • Fr. Coyne Fundraiser
    • Bequests / Trusts
    • The Foundation
      • Newsletters
      • Annual Reports
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • FAQs
  • About
    • Overview
    • Team
  • Telescopes
    • Overview
    • Telescope Images
  • Latest
    • Overview
    • Resources
    • Press
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Research
    • Authors
    • Newsletter
  • Podcast
  • Education
    • Overview
    • Resource Center
    • Image Gallery
    • Summer School
    • Books
    • FAQs
    • Software
    • Additional Resources
    • ACME
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Support
    • General
    • Sacred Space Astronomy
      • View Content
    • Fr. Coyne Fundraiser
    • Bequests / Trusts
    • The Foundation
      • Newsletters
      • Annual Reports
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • FAQs

Specola Guestbook | April 1, 1920: Sydney Chapman

By Br. Robert Macke  |  26 Jul 2020  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Share:
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share via Email

This entry is part 52 of 87 in the series Specola Guestbook

Since its founding in 1891, many people have passed through the doors of the Vatican Observatory.  A quick perusal of our guestbook reveals several Names, including Popes, nobel laureates, astronauts, actors, and saints. Today’s guestbook entry is from April 1, 1920 (no foolin’!), when Sydney Chapman made a visit.

Sydney Chapman (1888-1970) [Credit: NOAA]

Next to his name, Sydney Chapman FRS (1888-1970) wrote, “Professor, The University, Manchester, lately of Greenwich Observatory.”  He was the Beyer Chair of Applied Mathematics at the University of Manchester.

He was a mathematician who turned his skills to various astronomical and atmospheric phenomena.  Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Manchester in 1919, he was assistant to the Astronomer Royal Sir Frank Dyson at the Greenwich Observatory.  Much of his work there involved studying the influence of the Sun and Moon on terrestrial magnetism.

He became Sedleian Chair of Natural Philosophy at Oxford in 1946. After retiring in 1953, he relocated to the US. He spent much of that time at the University of Alaska Geophysical Institute in Fairbanks, AK and the High Altitude Observatory in Boulder CO.

In mathematics, he is responsible for the Chapman-Kolmogorov equations governing Markov stochastic processes.  (Kolmogorov independently developed the same equations.)

In the 1930s, he figured out the photochemistry of ozone production in the upper atmosphere.  He also predicted the presence and character of the terrestrial magnetosphere, which were confirmed by the Explorer 12 satellite.

He was president of the London Mathematical Society from 1929-31, of the Royal Meteorological Society from 1932-33, and of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics from 1951-54.

The Chapman medal is awarded annually by the Royal Astronomical Society in his honor for “investigations of outstanding merit in the science of the Sun, space and planetary environments or solar-terrestrial physics.”

The crater Chapman on the moon is named for him.

Share:
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share via Email

Sacred Space Astronomy

The Vatican Observatory’s official digital community and online magazine.

Become a Member

Recent Posts

A scarp by any other name…

By Richard Hill  |  19 Apr 2021  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

ⓜ Full Moon-th Meetup: 25 April, 2021

By Br. Guy Consolmagno  |  18 Apr 2021  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Taking science back from the culture wars

The Catholic Register  |  18 Apr 2021  |  Press

Laura Bassi: Google Doodle Scientist

By Mr. Christopher Graney  |  17 Apr 2021  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Archives

      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • August
      • June
      • March
      • January
      • November
      • October
      • December
      • November
      • April
      • May
      • January
      • December
      • September
      • May
      • March
      • December
      • November
      • February

More Posts in this Series:
"Specola Guestbook"

64  |  To err is human… to admit it, is science

By Br. Guy Consolmagno  |  25 Mar 2021  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

51  |  Specola Guestbook | January 29, 1920: Emilio Bianchi

By Br. Robert Macke  |  19 Jul 2020  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

53  |  Specola Guestbook | June 8, 1920: Charles Cushing

By Br. Robert Macke  |  2 Aug 2020  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

54  |  Specola Guestbook | Feb 14, 1921: Guido Alfani

By Br. Robert Macke  |  9 Aug 2020  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Newsletter

Upcoming astronomical events, scientific breakthroughs, philosophical reflections… just a few reasons to subscribe to our newsletter!

  • *
Vatican Observatory
  • About
  • Telescopes
  • Latest
  • Podcast
  • Education
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Support
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
Privacy Policy  |   Cookie Policy  |   Disclosure Statement

Podcast:

  • Apple Podcasts Listen onApple Podcasts
  • Spotify Listen onSpotify
  • Google Podcasts Listen onGoogle Podcasts
  • Stitcher Listen onStitcher
  • Amazon Alexa Listen onAmazon Alexa
  • TuneIn Listen onTuneIn
Made by Longbeard