1970 150th anniversary of the RAS
The 150th anniversary of the Royal
Astronomical Society was commemorated by one of a set of five
stamps issued in April 1970 to mark various anniversaries.
Shown on the RAS stamp, but not named, are
three characters who were influential in founding the society:
Sir William Herschel (at left), the first President,
holding his famous drawing of Uranus and two satellites;
Francis Baily, of Baily’s beads fame; and
John Herschel, William’s son. In the background is
William Herschel’s 40-ft telescope, assembled at his home
in Slough, as depicted in the RAS logo. This telescope also
turns up on the 26p stamp in the Astronomy
set issued in 1990. The other
anniversaries commemorated by the 1970 set were: 5d, the
Declaration of Arbroath; 9d, Florence Nightingale; 1s, signing
of International Cooperative Alliance; 1s 6d, the Mayflower.
As the highest-value member of the set, at
one shilling and ninepence in old money, the RAS stamp was
probably the least seen.
Stanley Gibbons no. 823