Edward Pigott, John Goodricke and the Winking Demon Star

 This year is the 200th anniversary of the death of Edward Pigott one of the ‘Fathers of Variable Star Astronomy’ this was a title I gave him and the deaf astronomer John Goodricke who between 1781-1786 would make incredible advances in the discovery and study of the branch of astronomy we know of today as variable stars.

 Pigott was born in Whitton, west London in 1753 and died on June 27th, 1825. His life would make an incredible soap opera story, but much more of that later.

Edward Pigott

Here is another of a series of highlights from his incredible career.

There is a star in the constellation of Perseus, he was the hero who rescued the princess Andromeda from the Kraken or sea monster. He had just killed the Medusa a creature so horrible that if you looked at it you would turn to stone the medusa’s hair was made from snakes.

In the sky the constellation of Perseus is seen holding a sword in one hand and the head of the medusa in the other. The star that marks the eye of the medusa is called Algol.

Most of the star names are Arabic and Algol means the winking demon. The star varies in brightness so is classified as a variable star. This variability was discovered by the Italian astronomer Montanari in 1669. The name Algo or winking demon suggests that maybe the Arab astronomers of a 1,000 years ago thought it varied in brightness although we have no proof of this.

Edward Pigott and John Goodricke would become the fathers off Variable Star Astronomy. They worked together in York between 1781 -1786 until the early death of Goodricke at the age of 22. Goodricke was deaf but there was absolutely nothing wrong with his thinking processes.

The records are a little scare, but it is believed that both Pigott and Goodricke started observing Algol sometime in late 1781. We know they were both constantly observing the star in 1782. John Goodricke observed from the Treasurer’ House in York and Edward Pigott from his observatory in Bootham in York around about a quarter of a mile away.

They noticed that the changes in light variation were very regular. Goodricke noted that it changed brightness in just under every three days before returning to normal brightness. The cycle then repeated itself. The whole cycle could be followed by the naked eye. In other words, no telescope was needed to follow the light changes in the star.

It appears as if both Goodricke and Pigott suggested that there were two objects orbiting each other and eclipsing each other and causing the light changes in the Algol. They were correct. It would be about 100 years later that astronomers could prove their theory to be correct.

Astronomers today use this same principle when they notice tiny changes in light from stars suggesting that there might be an object or planet passing in front of the star and therefore orbiting that star. Of over 4,000 exoplanets or planets that are known to  orbit other stars around 1,000 have been used using this method.

Goodricke and Pigott were over 200 years ahead of their time with their thinking.

Although Goodricke gets most of the praise it was a joint effort and a very major part that Pigott did play in was in getting Goodricke’s results published.  Goodricke was only 19 years old and unknown while Pigott through his contacts knew everyone worth knowing in the field of astronomy. Pigott seemed tom be quite content for Goodricke to get the praises.

He encouraged Goodricke to send his paper to London where in 1783 the paper on the star Algol was read to the Royal Society. It bought him instant recognition throughout the astronomical world and would lead to him being presented with the Copley Medal the most prestigious award that could be given to a scientist.

The character of Pigott was such that he did not mind that Goodricke got most of the attention. Even today Pigott is often seen in the shadow of Goodricke when they worked on joint projects together.

 

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