Joseph Norman Lockyer

Lockyer discovered helium in 1868 by analyzing the spectrum of the Sun using a spectroscope, noticing a yellow line that did not correspond to any known element on Earth. He named the element after the Greek word "helios," meaning sun.

Lockyer founded the prominent scientific journal Nature in 1869, serving as its first editor for 50 years. This publication remains one of the most prestigious interdisciplinary science journals in the world today.

Lockyer made significant contributions to solar physics by proving that sunspots are solar storms and establishing the science of stellar evolution based on spectroscopy. His 1868 discovery of helium in the sun's spectrum before it was found on Earth was a monumental milestone in astrophysics.

He made the landmark discovery of helium in 1868, working independently of French astronomer Pierre Janssen who made a similar observation. At the time, the element was entirely unknown on Earth and was only isolated in the laboratory decades later.