The Professor of Astronomy at Gresham College, London, gives free educational lectures to the general public. The college was founded for this purpose in 1597, when it appointed seven professors. Astronomy is one of the original subjects as set out by the will of Thomas Gresham in 1575.[1]
The Professor of Astronomy is appointed in partnership with the City of London Corporation.
Note, years given as, say, 1596/97 refer to Old Style and New Style dates.
| Name | Started | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | March 1596/97 | ||
| 2 | Thomas Williams | 11 November 1613 | |
| 3 | 6 March 1619/20 | ||
| 4 | 2 January 1626/27 | ||
| 5 | 2 March 1636/37 | ||
| 6 | Mungo Murray | 25 November 1637 | |
| 7 | 26 May 1641 | ||
| 8 | 23 July 1652 | ||
| 9 | 7 August 1657 | ||
| 10 | 8 March 1660/61 | ||
| 11 | 21 September 1687 | ||
| 12 | Alexander Torriano | 31 July 1691 | |
| 13 | 16 May 1713 | ||
| 14 | 25 June 1751 | ||
| 15 | 21 April 1752 | ||
| 16 | Peter Sandiford | 16 July 1795 | |
| 17 | Joseph Pullen | 3 December 1833 | |
| 18 | Edmund Ledger | 27 July 1875 | |
| 19 | 2 December 1908 | ||
| 20 | 17 April 1913 | ||
| (1939–45 Lectures in abeyance) | |||
| 21 | 29 May 1946 | ||
| 22 | 1964 | ||
| 23 | 1968 | ||
| 24 | 1969 | ||
| 25 | Sir Martin Rees, Baron Rees of Ludlow FRS | 1975 | |
| 26 | David W Dewhirst | 1976–80 | |
| 27 | 1981 | ||
| 28 | 1982 | ||
| 29 | 1984 | ||
| 30 | George Porter, Baron Porter of Luddenham OM FRS | 1 September 1990 | |
| 31 | Heather Couper FRAS | 1 September 1993 | |
| 32 | Colin Pillinger FRS | 1 September 1996 | |
| 33 | Frank Close OBE | 1 September 2000 | |
| 34 | John D Barrow FRS | 1 September 2003 | |
| 35 | Ian Morison FRAS | 1 August 2007 | |
| 36 | 1 August 2011 | ||
| 37 | 2015 | ||
| 38 | 2019[2] | ||
| 39 | Chris Lintott | 22 June 2023[3] | |