Very upset at an attack launched against JH in a manner that denigrates JH's father, William Herschel, in the process.
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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.
Very upset at an attack launched against JH in a manner that denigrates JH's father, William Herschel, in the process.
[John Russell] Hind is being considered for the post of astronomer at Trivandrum in India.
Asks for William Lassell's address in Malta, as JH's son, William, may be able to stop in to visit Lassell.
Agrees to provide some written work which will go into the report of the weights and measures commission[?].
Asks RS to summarize T. G. Taylor's contributions to astronomy. Hopes to assist Taylor's widow and family.
Is insistent that JH cannot perform the functions of Foreign Secretary [of the R.A.S.] as he has too much to do already, and has had to give up much of his personal scientific correspondence.
Reminds JH of new format in Nautical Almanac to represent symbols of late F. W. Bessel. Thomas Henderson was working with unknown quantity [in preparing N. L. Lacaille's star catalog].
Cannot explain how Thomas Henderson arrived at special figures in N. L. Lacaille's star catalog. Will examine Lacaille's volumes tomorrow.
Reports organization of N. L. Lacaille's star catalog. Suggests method by which to compare this with Thomas Henderson's figures to determine Henderson's method of computation.
George Bishop refuses permission for W. R. Dawes to edit Dawes's own observations. Portrait of Francis Baily should be nearly finished. Auction of Baily's books. Plans to start over 'de novo' and not use Baily's method for evaluating standards of measure. Convinced that standards must be connected with Ordnance survey of U.K. and T. F. Colby's units.
Arranges concurrent meetings of Standards Committee and Visitation [to Greenwich observatory]. Possible explanation for notations in [Thomas Henderson's] 'tables at June 11.' Please review and edit 'Preface to Lalande.' Will write to [Elizabeth] Baily.
Congratulates JH on finding solution [to Thomas Henderson's notations]. Sends extract of 11 Mar. 1841 letter from Henderson, stating that Henderson used computations in Francis Baily's edition of N. L. Lacaille's catalog. RS's notes on observation and reductions of J. J. L. Lalande. Sent skeleton of RS's 'Preface' to W. S. Stratford.
Believes that RS's suggested correction, 'when translated into its equivalent value in terms of the inclination,' will provide sought-for values.
Dispute with W. S. Stratford over proof sheets. Efforts to appease [T. R.] Robinson. RS's progress on works of N. L. Lacaille and J. J. L. Lalande.
RS will disclaim editorial responsibility for 'Preface' to J. J. L. Lalande's work if W. S. Stratford modifies it substantially. G. B. Airy is upset by omissions in 'Preface.' Usefulness of J. B. J. Delambre's work in understanding observations of N. L. Lacaille.
Aggravated by W. S. Stratford's refusal to send proofs [of 'Preface' to J. J. L. Lalande's work] to RS.
Repeats yesterday's protests against W. S. Stratford's refusal to send revised proofs to RS. Hopes G. B. Airy will not blame JH for delay.
Suggests alteration in list of observatories that JH sent to W. S. Stratford. Advises JH to include private astronomers on list also. News of [Elizabeth] Baily. Needs to borrow Francis Baily's apparatus for measuring length.
RS's progress in establishing standards of measurement. Lists objections to earlier methods of measuring. Compares various materials for use in making bars for measurement standards.
Advises JH to limit appeals on behalf of worthy causes, such as [T. G.] Taylor's widow, or public may abuse JH's kindness.