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Sir Richard van der Riet Woolley F.R.S.


Sir Richard van der Riet Woolley ( 1906 - 1986 )
Location IOP plaque: Herstmonceux Castle
Unveiled: 19 May 1999 by ? IOP Branch South Central


Born in Weymouth, Dorset, he moved to South Africa with his parents when they retired there. His First degreee was from the University of Cape Town. Later he returned to England for further studies, worked at Mount Wilson Observatory in the USA and Commonwealth Solar Observatory in Canberra, Australia. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1953. He was the eleventh Astronomer Royal who lived, worked and studied the Galaxy at this observatory 1956 - 1971. From 1972 to 196 he was director of the new South African Astronomical Observatory. He retired in South Africa


Page last updated 23 October 2013