Thomas Preston

Who was Thomas Preston?

Thomas Preston was an Irish scientist whose research was concerned with heat, magnetism, and spectroscopy. He established empirical rules for the analysis of spectral lines, which remain associated with his name. In 1897 he discovered the Anomalous Zeeman Effect, a phenomenon noted when the spectral lines of elements were studied in the presence or absence of a magnetic field.

He was educated at The Royal School, Armagh, the Royal University of Ireland and Trinity College, Dublin. From 1891 to 1900 he was Professor of Natural Philosophy at University College Dublin. He was a Fellow of the Royal University of Ireland and of the Royal Society, London and was a distinguished spectroscopist. His two major textbooks remained in continuous use for over 50 years.

He enrolled in Trinity College, Dublin, in 1881, and worked under the physicist George FitzGerald, known for his work in electromagnetics. While at University College Dublin, he wrote a book, The Theory of Light. In 1899 he won the second Boyle Medal presented by the Royal Dublin Society. He died in 1900 of a perforated ulcer just as he was reaching the height of his academic powers.