Antony Hewish

About Antony Hewish

Who is it?: Radio Astronomer
Birth Day: May 11, 1924
Birth Place: Fowey, Cornwall, England, British
Education: King's College, Taunton
Alma mater: University of Cambridge (BA, PhD)
Known for: Pulsars
Spouse(s): Marjorie Richards (m. 1950)
Awards: Hughes Medal (1977) Nobel Prize for Physics (1974) Eddington Medal (1969)
Fields: Radio astronomy
Institutions: Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge Cavendish Laboratory
Thesis: The fluctuations of galactic radio waves (1952)
Doctoral students: Jocelyn Bell Burnell

Antony Hewish

Antony Hewish was born on May 11, 1924 in Fowey, Cornwall, England, British, is Radio Astronomer. Antony Hewish is a British radio astronomer, best known for his discovery of the first pulsar. Born in the middle of 1920s in England, he had his education first at King’s college, Somerset and then at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. While he was still a student at Caius, he was sent to Telecommunications Research Establishment to work with Martin Ryle on airborne radar-counter-measure devices as part of his war service. It aroused in him an interest in radio astronomy. Later as he rejoined his college at the end of the war, he was equally influenced by his teacher Jack Ratcliffe, the head of radio physics at Cavendish Laboratory. Therefore, as soon as he earned his bachelor’s degree, he joined Ryle’s group at Cavendish Laboratory and started working with him. Concurrently, he also taught at Churchill College, Cambridge. He did a lot of important work in 1960s. It was during this period that he designed the Interplanetary Scintillation Array at Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory and discovered the first pulsar with his graduate student Jocelyn Bell. For this work, he received the 1974 Nobel Prize in Physics. Although Bell failed to get the award, Hewish did not fail to acknowledge her contribution.
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Does Antony Hewish Dead or Alive?

As per our current Database, Antony Hewish is still alive (as per Wikipedia, Last update: May 10, 2020).

🎂 Antony Hewish - Age, Bio, Faces and Birthday

Currently, Antony Hewish is 100 years, 6 months and 10 days old. Antony Hewish will celebrate 101rd birthday on a Sunday 11th of May 2025. Below we countdown to Antony Hewish upcoming birthday.

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Popular As Antony Hewish
Occupation Scientists
Age 100 years old
Zodiac Sign Gemini
Born May 11, 1924 (Fowey, Cornwall, England, British)
Birthday May 11
Town/City Fowey, Cornwall, England, British
Nationality British

🌙 Zodiac

Antony Hewish’s zodiac sign is Gemini. According to astrologers, Gemini is expressive and quick-witted, it represents two different personalities in one and you will never be sure which one you will face. They are sociable, communicative and ready for fun, with a tendency to suddenly get serious, thoughtful and restless. They are fascinated with the world itself, extremely curious, with a constant feeling that there is not enough time to experience everything they want to see.

🌙 Chinese Zodiac Signs

Antony Hewish was born in the Year of the Rat. Those born under the Chinese Zodiac sign of the Rat are quick-witted, clever, charming, sharp and funny. They have excellent taste, are a good friend and are generous and loyal to others considered part of its pack. Motivated by money, can be greedy, is ever curious, seeks knowledge and welcomes challenges. Compatible with Dragon or Monkey.

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Biography/Timeline

1946

He attended King's College, Taunton. His undergraduate degree at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, was interrupted by war Service at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, and at the Telecommunications Research Establishment where he worked with Martin Ryle. Returning to Cambridge in 1946, Hewish completed his degree and immediately joined Ryle's research team at the Cavendish Laboratory, obtaining his PhD in 1952. Hewish made both practical and theoretical advances in the observation and exploitation of the apparent scintillations of radio sources due to their radiation impinging upon plasma. This led him to propose, and secure funding for, the construction of the Interplanetary Scintillation Array, a large array radio telescope at the Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory (MRAO), Cambridge to conduct a high time-resolution radio survey of interplanetary scintillation.

1950

Hewish married Marjorie Elizabeth Catherine Richards in 1950. They have a son, a Physicist, and a daughter, a language Teacher.

1971

Hewish was professor of radio astronomy at the Cavendish Laboratory from 1971 to 1989, and head of the MRAO from 1982 to 1988. He developed an association with the Royal Institution in London when it was directed by Sir Lawrence Bragg. In 1965 he was invited to co-deliver the Royal Institution Christmas Lecture on Exploration of the Universe. He subsequently gave several Friday Evening Discourses and was made a Professor of the Royal Institution in 1977. Hewish is a Fellow of Churchill College, Cambridge. He is also a member of the Advisory Council for the Campaign for Science and Engineering.

1974

One of his PhD students, Jocelyn Bell, noted the radio source which was ultimately recognised as the first pulsar. The paper announcing the discovery had five authors, Hewish's name being listed first, Bell's second. Hewish and Martin Ryle were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1974 for work on the development of radio aperture synthesis and its role in the discovery of pulsars. The Nobel award to Ryle and Hewish without the inclusion of Bell as a co-recipient was controversial, and was roundly condemned by Hewish's fellow Astronomer Fred Hoyle. See Nobel prize controversies.

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