Nationality United Kingdom Died October 27, 1867 Role Astronomer | Name John 2nd Fields astronomy | |
 | ||
Born 5 August 1798
near Wolverhampton ( 1798-08-05 ) Parents John Wrottesley, 1st Baron Wrottesley Children Arthur Wrottesley, 3rd Baron Wrottesley Grandchildren Victor Alexander Wrottesley, 4th Baron Wrottesley Grandparents Sir John Wrottesley, 8th Baronet Great-grandparents Sir Richard Wrottesley, 7th Baronet | ||
John Wrottesley, 2nd Baron Wrottesley (5 August 1798 – 27 October 1867) was an English astronomer.
Contents
Life
Wrottesley was the son of John Wrottesley, 1st Baron Wrottesley, and his first wife Lady Caroline Bennet, daughter of Charles Bennet, 4th Earl of Tankerville. He succeeded his father in the barony on 16 March 1841. Wrottesley is distinguished for his attainments in astronomical science, was a founding member of the Royal Astronomical Society and served as its president from 1841 to 1842. In 1839 he received the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society for his Catalogue of the Right Ascensions of 1,318 Stars. He was also President of the Royal Society from 1854 to 1858. In 1853 he called the attention of the House of Lords to Lieutenant Maury's valuable scheme of meteorological observations and discoveries, and on 30 November 1855 succeeded the Earl of Rosse as President of the Royal Society.
The crater Wrottesley on the Moon is named in honour of John Wrottesley.
Lord Wrottesley died in October 1867, aged 69.
Family
On 28 July 1821 Wrottesley married Sophia Elizabeth (d. 13 January 1880), third daughter of Thomas Giffard of Chillington in Staffordshire. By her he had five sons and two daughters. His two youngest sons—Henry and Cameron—fell in action. He was succeeded in the baronetcy and barony by his son Arthur Wrottesley. George Wrottesley was his third son.