William Ernest Cooke - Achievements

Achievements

  • His star cataloguing system was accepted at an international astronomical conference in Paris in 1909.
  • He developed a method of plotting the transit of tropical cyclones, and issuing weather warnings for shipping and pearling industries
  • He invented a type of heliochronometer which could be used to determine local time and true north accurately. The device was known as a sunclock (picture). In 1924 the device won a gold medal at the British Empire Exhibition.
  • He recognised that by using radio signals form other parts of the world would enable the accurate measurement of longitude. He worked with his son Basil, a pioneer amateur radio operator, who received time signals from Lyons, France. This technique was used in 1921 by the WA Government Astronomer, Curlewis and the SA Government Astronomer, Dodwell, at Deakin, Western Australia to fix a position for the 129th meridian east longitude (129° east). The same group also travelled to Wyndham, Western Australia to determine the WA/NT border on the ground.
  • Cooke is said to have patented over one hundred inventions

Satellite 3894 Williamcooke and Mount Cooke in the Darling Scarp near Jarrahdale are named in his honour.

Read more about this topic:  William Ernest Cooke

Famous quotes containing the word achievements:

    “There are some achievements which are never done in the presence of those who hear of them. Catching salmon is one, and working all night is another.”
    —Anthony Trollope (1815–1882)

    “Like all writers, he measured the achievements of others by what they had accomplished, asking of them that they measure him by what he envisaged or planned.”
    —Jorge Luis Borges (1899–1986)

    “When science, art, literature, and philosophy are simply the manifestation of personality, they are on a level where glorious and dazzling achievements are possible, which can make a man’s name live for thousands of years. But above this level, far above, separated by an abyss, is the level where the highest things are achieved. These things are essentially anonymous.”
    —Simone Weil (1909–1943)