Accession No

6551

Brief Description

Royal Mail first day cover, single stamp commemorating Sir Martin Ryle’s Radio survey of the universe, from series “Eminent Britons”, English, 2009

Origin

England

Maker

Royal Mail

Class

astronomy; ephemera

Earliest Date

2009

Latest Date

2009

Inscription Date

08-10-2009

Material

Paper; plastic

Dimensions

[When folded:] 115mm (height) x 216mm (width) x 2mm (depth)

Special Collection

Provenance

Donated by an individual on or before 19/10/2009.

Inscription

[On stamp:] “Sir Martin Ryle 1918 - 1984
Radio Survey of the Universe 1959”
[On wrapping/envelope:] “Royal Mail Mint Stamps
EMINENT BRITONS”

Description Notes

Royal Mail first day cover, single stamp commemorating Sir Martin Ryle’s Radio survey of the universe, from series “Eminent Britons”, English, 2009.

One of ten commemorative stamps in the “Eminent Britons” series, produced by Royal Mail in 2009, in original fold-out envelope which contains brief histories of each subject and the reason they were selected, as well as a short introduction and five quotes from some of the subjects. The other “Eminent Britons” included in the series were: Fred perry, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Henry Purcell, Samuel Johnson, Judy Fryd, Mary Wollestonecraft, Sir Matt Busby, Donald Campbell and William Gladstone. The remaining stamp illustrates a head-and-shoulders portrait of Sir Martin Ryle against a background of radio telescopes. the brief biography assigned to him details how he, as a part of the Radio Astronomy Group at the University of Cambridge, mapped infinity subsequently discovered the first quasi-stellar source, the quasar. It additionally details his education, other interests such as alternative energey sources and his attainments, including being knighted and later appointed Astronomer Royal, as well as winning the Nobel Prize for Physics in partnership with Antony Hewish.

In perfect condition.

Condition: Good; complete.

References

Events