▁Mer v yn ▁Arch d all ▁Ell ison ▁ ▁( 5 ▁May ▁ 1 9 0 9 ▁– ▁ 1 2 ▁September ▁ 1 9 6 3 ) ▁was ▁an ▁Irish ▁astronom er . ▁He ▁was ▁recognized ▁as ▁a ▁world ▁authority ▁on ▁solar ▁physics ▁and ▁the ▁effect ▁of ▁solar ▁fl ares ▁on ▁the ▁Earth . ▁ ▁Life ▁He ▁was ▁born ▁at ▁F eth ard - on - Se a ▁in ▁County ▁W ex ford , ▁Ireland , ▁the ▁third ▁son ▁of ▁Re ver end ▁William ▁Frederick ▁Arch d all ▁Ell ison , ▁and ▁was ▁home ▁t utor ed ▁until ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁nine ▁when ▁his ▁father ▁became ▁the ▁director ▁of ▁Arm agh ▁Observ atory . ▁Mer v yn ▁was ▁entered ▁into ▁the ▁Royal ▁School , ▁Arm agh , ▁and ▁during ▁his ▁spare ▁time ▁he ▁developed ▁an ▁interest ▁in ▁astronom y . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 7 ▁he ▁began ▁his ▁under grad uate ▁work ▁at ▁Tr inity ▁College ▁Dublin , ▁where ▁he ▁studied ▁physics ▁and ▁was ▁elected ▁a ▁Sch olar . ▁He ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁Philosoph ical ▁Society ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 1 - 3 2 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 1 – 3 2 ▁he ▁worked ▁on ▁rad ium ▁em an ations ▁for ▁the ▁Dublin ▁hosp it als ▁under ▁a ▁Fitz ger ald ▁Research ▁Sch olar ship . ▁He ▁was ▁awarded ▁a ▁M . Sc . ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 2 ▁and ▁a ▁Sc . D . ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁