King George III

Armagh Planetarium and Observatory

(4 June 1738 [New Style] – 29 January 1820)

It is during the reign of His Majesty King George III (reign: 1760–1820) that Sir William Herschel discovered Uranus, the first planet to be discovered by aid of a telescope (in 1781). The king patronised Herschel for his work, and he in turn intended to name the planet ‘Georgium Sidus’ (George’s Star), or the ‘Georgian Planet’ in king’s honour. It is thought likely that Archbishop Richard Robinson, a frequent visitor to Bath, had met with Herschel and that this acquaintance had, along with the enthusiasm of the Armagh priest and astronomer Rev. J. A. Hamilton, induced him to build an Observatory in Armagh, with Hamilton its first Director. 

Herschel’s discovery was not the first sign of interest in astronomy by King George III, however. The King’s Observatory, designed by architect Sir William Chambers, was built in Richmond, close to the modern Kew Gardens, in 1969. Its design influenced the architecture of both Dunsink and Armagh Observatories. The observatory was built for the occasion of the 1769 transit of Venus, which the king observed there, attended by King’s Astronomer Dr Stephen Charles Triboudet Demainbray, the royal family, and others. Captain (at that point Lieutenant) James Cook observed the same transit in Tahiti along with astronomer Charles Green, appointed by the Astronomer Royal Nevil Maskelyne. It was also King George III who signed the 1791 Act of Parliament establishing the Armagh Observatory. 

Her Majesty Queen Victoria (reign: 1837–1901), granddaughter of King George III, had chosen to donate the scientific instruments from King’s Observatory in 1841. Much of the collection was gifted to King’s College London, which has since, in turn, loaned it to the Science Museum in London. One of the other great beneficiaries, however, was Armagh Observatory. His Grace Lord John George Beresford, Archbishop of Armagh, and Director Romney Robinson made arrangements to receive the instruments. This included building of the ‘Sector Tower’ in 1841 over part of the Transit Room for the Sisson Zenith Sector; part of the donation from King’s Observatory. The most historically important instruments, however, are the 6-inch aperture, 2-ft length brass reflecting telescope by brothers James and Thomas Short, and the Mean Time Astronomical Clock by John Shelton. These were used by King George III himself during the 1769 transit of Venus, and an identical Shelton clock (or regulator) was also used by Cook and Green in Tahiti. The 6-inch reflector was likely begun by James Short, the more famous of the two brothers, but completed by Thomas after his brother’s death. Another similar 2-ft brass telescope from the collection, likely by one of the Shorts – is currently on display at the Planetarium. Through the years, a number of objects from the King George III Collection have been loaned, sold, or lost, but the core elements and the most important instruments remain at the Observatory. 

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