Vale Professor Robert Hanbury-Brown

Professor Robert Hanbury-Brown, one of the major figures in the development of radio astronomy following the second world war, passed away on 16 January 2002, at the age of 85 years.

Professor Hanbury-Brown worked during the second world war as part of the British and American efforts to develop radar technology, first at the Air Ministry research station at Bawdsey Manor (1935 - 1942) and then seconded to the United States Naval Research Laboratory (1942 - 1947). Following this long period of government work, Hanbury-Brown obtained a fellowship at Manchester University under Sir Bernard Lovell and was integral in the effort to build the Jodrell Bank radio telescope.

After leaving Jodrell Bank, Hanbury-Brown took the chair of astronomy at Sydney University in 1963, working enthusiastically to build a large mirror intensity interferometer of his own design, to measure the angular sizes of stars. Hanbury-Brown's interferometer was built near Narrabri and made ground-breaking measurements until the mid 1970's.

Professor Hanbury-Brown was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1960, was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia in 1986, and served as President of the International Astronomical Union for six years. He returned to Britain to live in 1986 and is survived by his wife and family.

Steven Tingay
(Steven.Tingay@csiro.au)