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The Sir John Herschel Collection
The preparation of the print Calendar of the Correspondence of Sir John Herschel (Michael J. Crowe ed., David R. Dyck and James J. Kevin assoc. eds, Cambridge, England: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1998, viii + 828 pp) which was funded by the National Science Foundation, took ten years. It was accomplished by a team of seventeen professors, visiting scholars, graduate students, advanced undergraduates, and staff working at the University of Notre Dame.
The first online version of Calendar was created in 2009 by Dr Marvin Bolt and Steven Lucy, working at the Webster Institute of the Adler Planetarium, and it is that data that has now been reformatted for incorporation into Ɛpsilon.
Further information about Herschel, his correspondence, and the editorial method is available online here: http://historydb.adlerplanetarium.org/herschel/?p=intro
No texts of Herschel’s letters are currently available through Ɛpsilon.
Plans to write John Russell in an effort to secure a pension for Thomas Maclear; asks for R.A.S. and WS's support. Asks WS to obtain some facts relevant to pension request.
Skeptical over plan for galvanic illumination of wires. Has not yet seen J. B. Biot article; states he has always held Biot in high regard. Discusses naming of new planet.
Believes Beta Ursae Minoris to be a slow variable star. Remarks on diminution of the star's brightness between 1840 and 1841.
Thanks WS for copy of W. S. Jacob paper on American telescope. Hopes that Jacob will attempt Talbotypes of sun spots while at Aden.
Suggests trustees of British Museum make an offer for Mme. Witte's lunar model. Cape Results at press. Observed double comet.
Will visit WS after attending two R.S.L. committee meetings. Asks WS's opinion of usefulness of occultation information in the Nautical Almanac.
Believes council should decide the handling of the medal over the discovery of Neptune. Thinks that if J. C. Adams receives a medal, U. J. J. Leverrier should receive 'the more prominent distinction.'
Proposal of giving medals to both J. C. Adams and U. J. J. Leverrier by William Whewell turned down by R.A.S.
Thanks WS for 'kind expressions on my behalf.' Believes these may be the last words he may write.
Signs Charles Shadwell's recommendation. Sends new maps of earth, which include more surface with less distortion. Sends copy of JH's Telescope.
Prof. Barlow's paper on 'fluid refractor' leaves WS doubting JH's report of Beta Capricorni.
Extract from observations of 70 Ophiuchi by F. W. Bessel. Results agree with WS's measurements by different method and increase WS's confidence. Hopes for more information on Gamma Virginis before finalizing WS's manuscript.
JH's theory of orbits of Castor and Gamma Virginis. Observations of Gamma Virginis by W. R. Dawes and by WS.
Problems with computation of Gamma Virginis.
Thanks for inspecting WS's [manuscript] and noting errors. Computations by Mr. Hinde [J. R. Hind?] from observations of Gamma Virginis by WS.
Encloses copy of 29 July 1846 letter from G. B. Airy, who refuses to act on any further recommendations from Board of Visitors so long as James South is member of Board. Insinuations by South in R. H. Inglis's motion before House of Commons are deemed malevolent by Airy, who no longer considers South competent to guide scientific inquiry.
Excellent weather for observations of variable colors [in stars].
Sends copy of Cycle of Celestial Objects. Meets an excellent optician named [Richard?] Gwatkin, who shows him four self-made telescopes.
Sends comet observations from W. S. Jacob. Obtains 'another excellent epoch of Gamma Virginis.'
Thanks JH for Gamma Virginis observations, which are finally in accord with his. Sends observation of the double stars JH suggested watching. Works with Richard Sheepshanks. Francis Baily delivers details on Edinburgh meeting of philosophers. Sends news from Niccolo Cacciatore, who has returned to the Observatory in Naples.