Charles Michie Smith

Professor Charles Michie Smith CIE FRSE (13 July 1854–1922) was a 19th century Scottish astronomer. He founded the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory in the mountains of south India and served as its first Director.[1]

Life

the mountains of Kodaikanal

Smith was born in Keig in Aberdeenshire on 13 July 1854 the son of Jane Robertson and Rev William Pirrie Smith of the newly created Free Church of Scotland.

He was educated locally then went to first the University of Aberdeen then the University of Edinburgh to study mathematics and physics, graduating BSc in 1876. His tutors included Peter Guthrie Tait and George Chrystal. He almost immediately obtained a post as Professor of Physics at Madras Christian College and began in this role in the summer of 1877 aged 23.[2]

In 1882 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were Alexander Crum Brown, Peter Guthrie Tait, George Chrystal and William Thomson, Lord Kelvin.[2]

In 1891 he left Madras Christian College to become Government Astronomer for Madras, replacing the recently deceased Professor N. R. Pogson. In 1899 he published the New Madras General Catalogue (of Stars) listing 5303 stars visible from the observatory.[3] He left this role in 1899 to become the first Director of the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory where he worked for the rest of his life.[4]

He died at his home in Kodaikanal in India on 27 September 1922. He is buried there with his spinster sister Lucy Smith, who joined him in later life.[1]

Publications

see[5]

  • Observations of the Leonids (1899)
  • The Annual Eclipse of the Sun (1894)
  • A Solar Outburst and a Magnetic Storm (1909)

Family

He was unmarried and had no children.

His older brother was William Robertson Smith.

References

  1. 1 2 Rao, N. Kameswara; Vagiswari, A.; Birdie, Christina (2014). "Charles Michie Smith - founder of the Kodaikanal (Solar Physics) Observatory and beginnings of physical astronomy in India" (PDF). Current Science. 106 (3): 447–467. arXiv:1402.6189. Bibcode:2014arXiv1402.6189K.
  2. 1 2 Biographical Index of Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002 (PDF). The Royal Society of Edinburgh. July 2006. ISBN 978-0-902-198-84-5.
  3. ↑ "Prof. C. Michie Smith". Nature. 110 (2766): 610–610. 4 November 1922. Bibcode:1922Natur.110Q.610.. doi:10.1038/110610a0.
  4. ↑ "Obituary Notices : Fellows :- Smith, Charles Michie". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 83: 245. 1932. Bibcode:1923MNRAS..83R.245.
  5. ↑ "Indian Institute of Astrophysics: Charles Michie Smith (1891 - 1910)". prints.iiap.res.in. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
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