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Nearer the gods no mortal may approach. Edmond Halley. …
Edmond Halley
Portrait by Richard Phillips, before 1722Born8 November [O.S. 29 October] 1656
Haggerston, Middlesex, EnglandDied25 January 1742 [O.S. 14 January 1741] (aged 85)
Greenwich, Kent, EnglandResting placeSt. Margaret’s, Lee, South LondonNationalityEnglishAlma materThe Queen’s College, OxfordSpouse(s)Mary TookeChildrenEdmond Halley (d. 1741) Margaret (d. 1713) Richelle (d. 1748)Scientific careerFieldsAstronomy, geophysics, mathematics, meteorology, physics, cartographyInstitutionsUniversity of Oxford Royal Observatory, Greenwich Edmond (or Edmund) Halley, FRS (/ˈhæli/;[3][4] 8 November [O.S. 29 October] 1656 – 25 January 1742 . 14 January 1741]) was an English astronomer, geophysicist, mathematician, meteorologist, and physicist. He was the second Astronomer Royal in Britain, succeeding John Flamsteed in 1720.
Scarce any problem will appear more hard and difficult, than that of determining the distance of the Sun from the Earth very near the truth: but even this… will without much labour be effected. Edmond Halley. …
This sight… is by far the noblest astronomy affords.