Edmund Halley was a British Astronomer who lived from 1656-1742. He was born in Haggerston, Shoreditch, England. He was the first person to calculate a comet's orbit. He attended Oxford University where he studied theories of Sir Isaac Newton. These theories inspired him to write the book Principle which he published with his own money in 1687. In 1698 he was given the command of Paramour, so he could explore the south atlantic and govern laws regaurding the compass. In 1703, Halley was appointed Savilian Professor of Geometry at the University of Oxofrd and received an honorary degree of doctor of laws in 1710. In the year 1721 at the age of 65, Edmund was named Astonomer Royal and began an 18 year study of the moon's complete revolution through its ascending and decsending nodes. In 1684, Halley made his first visit to Isaac Newton in Cambridge which started his promenent role in the development of the gravitation. Halley created the first meteorological chart by showing the distribution of prevailing winds over the oceans. In 1701 he published the first magnetic charts of the Atlantic Ocean and some of the Pacific, which showed curved lines that indicated the same compass directions. during Edmund's life, he was greatly influenced by Francis Bacon and other astronomers from that day. He wisely assessed Newton's work and his persistance in completion earned him a place in western thought.
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