James Gregory

James Gregory, a citizen of Scotland, was born in 1638 and died in 1675. He was the third son of John Gregory and Janet Anderson and was born in Manse of Drumoak. In his early years, he was home schooled by his mother, who influenced his love for mathematics. He graduated from Marischal College in 1657.

    During his travels to London in 1663, he met John Collins and Robert Moray, a founder of the Royal Society. In 1664, he traveled to the Venetian Republic to be taught by Stefano Angeli, a professor of philosophy. At the end of his studies in 1668, Gregory returned to London and was allowed into the Royal Society. He was the first Regius Chair of Mathematics. After working as a professor at University of St. Andres and University of Edinburgh, he met his wife, Marry Jameson.

    James Gregory's biggest contribution to astronomy was definitely the Gregorian Telescope, created by Gregory in 1663. Unlike its predecessor, the refracting telescope, Gregory's reflecting telescope  did not suffer from spherical aberration or chromatic aberration, IE distortion or color issues. His telescope remained a design for almost ten years until Robert Hooke, an oxford physicist, actually built the telescope. Gregory's style of reflecting telescope is not used in modern times, but it was a tremendous technological improvement during his time.


Works cited:

Chambers, Robert. "Page 536." A Biographical Dictionary of Eminent Scotsmen,. London: Blackie and Son, 1835. N. pag. Print.

 

"James Gregory (1638-1675)." James Gregory (1638-1675). N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2012. <http://www-ah.st-andrews.ac.uk/mgstud/reflect/gregory.html>.

 

"James Gregory." Gregory Biography. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. <http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/history/Biographies/Gregory.html>.

 

"James Gregory (Scottish Mathematician and Astronomer)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/245544/James-Gregory>.