Huggins, SIR WILLIAM, K.C.B. (1897), astronomer, was born in London on 7th February 1824.
Whilst still a youth his mind was attracted to the study of chemistry, magnetism, and allied branches of physical science. In 1852 he was elected a member of the Microscopical Society, and for some years laboured at the study of physiology, animal and vegetable, with the microscope. But having in 1855 built for his own private use an observatory at Upper Tulse Hill, near London, he began what proved to be the principal work of his lifetime—the study of the physical constitution of stars, planets, comets, and nebulae. By researches on the sun's spectra and the spectra of certain comets, he ascertained that the luminous properties of the former are not the same as the luminous properties of the latter. Since 1875 he has been engaged photographing the ultra-violet parts of the spectra of the stars. He has also determined the amount of heat that reaches the earth from some of the fixed stars. Mr Huggins was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1865. He was twice awarded the medal of the same society and twice the gold medal of the Royal Astronomical Society. In 1874 he became corresponding member of the Paris Academy of Sciences, and three years later corresponding member of the Royal Society of Göttingen. From 1876 to 1878 he was president of the Royal Astronomical Society.