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| Contributions to Optics, Astronomy and Architecture |
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As a scientist, Robert Hooke made valuable contributions to the wave theory of light. He coined the term ”ether” as a carrier of light waves and studied diffraction and interference phenomena on thin laminae. He was the first to voice the idea that light consisted of transverse waves and was probably the first scientist to measure the resolving power of the eye. He invented the iris diaphragm, built an optical telegraph, and improved the reflecting telescope.
Hooke was also the first to discover the rotation of the giant planet Jupiter and to describe its Great Red Spot. He portrayed the theory of planetary motion as a problem in mechanics, and pioneered the scientific trail that led Newton to his goal in the formulation of the law of gravitation. Despite exact observation of the comets in 1664 and 1665 and the use of other astronomers’ data, he was unable to decide on what type of motion the comet would take – straight line, circular orbit, or ellipse.
In 1666 Hooke interrupted this work to concentrate his attention on other subjects: after the Great Fire of London in 1666 Hooke was appointed surveyor of the city, designing many buildings including Montague House, the Royal College of Physicians, Bedlam and Bethlehem Hospital.
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| The giant planet Jupiter, with the Great Red Spot on the bottom right. | The Hooke Memorial Window of the church of St. Helen's in Bishopsgate, City of London. It was destroyed by a bomb several years ago |
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Member of the Royal Society
Robert Hooke had as significant an influence on the advancement of science as Newton. An established physicist and astronomer, Hooke was with the Royal Society from its inception, and served it tirelessly and loyally for over forty years: He reported/demonstrated three to four experiments to the Royal Society each week. The experiments varied in topic greatly, some of chemical nature, some of astronomy, some of biology. In 1665 he was appointed Professor of Geometry at Gresham College. The same year he published his Micrographia, a book with elaborate drawings of various objects under the microscope. After Henry Oldenburg’s death in 1677, Hooke was additionally appointed to his post as Secretary of the Royal Society. He was succeeded by Richard Waller in 1683.
The French astronomer Lalande (1732–1807) said the following about Hooke: ”His works contain the ideas that underlie most of our modern instruments. He was the Newton of mechanics.”
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