Sir Arthur Stanley Eddington OM FRS
(1882-1944)

Died aged c. 62

Sir Arthur Stanley Eddington OM FRS (28 December 1882 – 22 November 1944) was an English astronomer, physicist, and mathematician. He was also a philosopher of science and a populariser of science. The Eddington limit, the natural limit to the luminosity of stars, or the radiation generated by accretion onto a compact object, is named in his honour. Around 1920, he foreshadowed the discovery and mechanism of nuclear fusion processes in stars, in his paper "The Internal Constitution of the Stars". At that time, the source of stellar energy was a complete mystery; Eddington was the first to correctly speculate that the source was fusion of hydrogen into helium. Eddington wrote a number of articles that announced and explained Einstein's theory of general relativity to the English-speaking world. World War I had severed many lines of scientific communication, and new developments in German science were not well known in England. He also conducted an expedition to observe the solar eclipse of 29 May 1919 that provided one of the earliest confirmations of general relativity, and he became known for his popular expositions and interpretations of the theory.

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Commemorated on 3 plaques

Sir Arthur Eddington OM 1882-1944 mathematician and astrophysicist lived here

4 Bennett Park, Blackheath, London, United Kingdom where they lived

Stramongate School. This school, founded by the Society of Friends in 1698, occupied premises beyond this passageway from 1792 to 1932. It has connections with two famous scientists: John Dalton founder of the Atomic Theory and "father of modern chemistry", who taught here from 1781- to 1793 and Sir Arthur Stanley Eddington, pioneer of stellar structure, author of "The Expanding Universe", former Chief Assistant at Greenwich Observatory, Professor of Astronomy at the University of Cambridge, who was born here in 1882, his father then being the Headmaster.

Stramongate School, 52 Stramongate, Kendal, United Kingdom where they was born (1882)

This house was the boyhood home of Arthur Stanley Eddington, one of the foremost scientists, not only of the 20th century, but of the entire history of the human species. His achievements include, but are not limited to, the integration of modern astrophysics, major advances in the early history of relativistic cosmology, major additions to modern astronomical advancements, a superior exposition of the philosophy of physical science, and authorship of many books and articles making science more meaningful, not only to scientists, but to all rational and curious individuals. His achievements will radiate for the duration of the human species! Arthur Stanley Eddington 1882-1944

Walliscote Road, Weston-super-Mare, United Kingdom where they lived