PROCTOR, Richard Anthony, English astronomer: b. Chelsea, 23 March 1837; d. New York, 12 Sept. 1888. He was educated at King's College, London and Cambridge, and began to read for the bar, but in 1863 took up with enthusiasm the study of astronomy and mathematics. In 1866 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, and in 1872 one of its honorary secretaries and editor of its publications. He resigned these positions in 1873 and made a lecturing tour in this coun try. As a lecturer he became at once popular, having in eminent degree the gift of lucid ex position. A second tour to the United States in 1879 and a tour to Australia were followed by a second marriage and his settling at Saint Joseph, Mo., in 1881. In the same year he founded at London Knowledge, a scientific weekly, which in 1885, became a monthly. In 1887 he moved to Florida. He did much to popularize astronomy. His works include
'Saturn and His System> (1865);
of the Stars' (1866); 'Half-hours with the Telescope' (1868) ; (Other Worlds Than Ours' (1870);
Science for Leisure
(1871); (The Sun' (1871); (Elementary Astronomy' (1871); (The Orbs Around Us' (1872) ; (Essays in Astronomy' (1872);
Expanse of Heaven' (1873);
Borderland of Science' (1873);