1. Martin Ryle was the first Professor of Radio Astronomy in the University of Cambridge and founding director of the Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory.
16 Facts About Martin Ryle
1. 2.
Martin Ryle was the twelfth Astronomer Royal from 1972 to 1982.
3.
Martin Ryle was born in Brighton, England, the son of Professor John Alfred Ryle and Miriam Ryle.
4.
Martin Ryle was the nephew of Oxford University Professor of Philosophy Gilbert Ryle.
5.
In 1939, Martin Ryle worked with the Telecommunications Research Establishment on the design of antennas for airborne radar equipment during World War II.
6.
In 1946 Martin Ryle built the first multi-element astronomical radio interferometer.
7.
Martin Ryle guided the Cambridge radio astronomy group in the production of several important radio source catalogues.
8.
Martin Ryle was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1952, was knighted in 1966 and succeeded Sir Richard Woolley as Astronomer Royal from 1972 to 1982.
9.
In 1968 Martin Ryle served as professor of astronomy at Gresham College, London.
10.
Martin Ryle was idealistic, a characteristic he shared with his father.
11.
Martin Ryle had heated arguments with Fred Hoyle of the Institute of Astronomy about Hoyle's steady state universe, which restricted collaboration between the Cavendish Radio Astronomy Group and the Institute of Astronomy during the 1960s.
12.
Martin Ryle was a new physics graduate and an experienced radio ham in 1939, when the Second World War started.
13.
Martin Ryle played an important part in the Allied war effort, working mainly in radar countermeasures.
14.
In 1983 Martin Ryle responded to a request from the President of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences for suggestions of topics to be discussed at a meeting on Science and Peace.
15.
Martin Ryle had a lifelong interest in sailing and this matched his choice when in the 1970s he turned his research subject from astronomy to wind energy.
16.
Martin Ryle was celebrated on a first class stamp issued in 2009 as part of an Eminent Britons set.