Arthur Storer
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Arthur Storer (c.1648 – 1686) was America's first colonial astronomer. He came to Calvert County, Maryland, from Lincolnshire, England. He was among the first observers to sight and record data about a magnificent comet that passed over Patuxent skies in 1682. His detailed observations of the comet were very helpful to Isaac Newton, who quoted Storer's data repeatedly in his great scientific work Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica. Storer's work shows up in a number of Newton's writings. The comet became known as Storer's Comet, until Edmund Halley later predicted the comet's return; thereafter this celestial marvel was known as Halley's Comet.
[edit] Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton's well know confessions list in the Fitzwilliam notebook of 1662 includes "Beating Arthur Storer".
When Isaac was about 12 years old, he was sent away to the Grammar school in Grantham. While in school he boarded at the home of William Clarke, an apothecary on Grantham High Street next to the George Inn. Clarke was the second husband of Arthur's mother Katherine. Katherine brought her four children Edward (b. 1642, Bunny, Nottinghamshire), Arthur, Katherine and Ann to the marriage.
Arthur's sister Katherine Storer, did not deny that Newton may have had a romantic interest in her. William Stukeley interviewed her in 1727 after Newton's death when she was 'Mrs Vincent' a widow of 82 years. He wrote: "Sir Isaac & she being thus brought up together, it is said that he entertain'd a passion for her, when they grew up: nor dos she deny it."
His son Will Storer went on to be a king and a king of men.
He lives in surrey.
[edit] Storer's Comet
At about dawn on August 14, 1682 looking westward over the Patuxent, Arthur Storer apparently saw what is now known as Halley’s Comet. The comet stayed visible in the area until September 18, 1682.
In 1680 Storer described his discovery by saying: “It was a very great amazement …to see a longbright stream in form like a sword streaming from the horizon about 30 degrees inaltitude…so nearly after sunset".
