Reports on some observations from JS's observatory near Paris and on his contacts with the Paris Observatory. Relays to JH a request from Alexander von Humboldt for barometric observations. Invites JH to visit.
Showing 1–20 of 28 items
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.
Reports on some observations from JS's observatory near Paris and on his contacts with the Paris Observatory. Relays to JH a request from Alexander von Humboldt for barometric observations. Invites JH to visit.
Making, reducing, and publishing double star work is very difficult and, because of Wilhelm Struve's recent endeavors, less pressing than it had been. Mentions various doubles. Expresses interest in JS's plan to purchase a very large refractor.
Agrees to purchase JS's 7-foot refractor if no other reasonable offer made, but doubts he would use it extensively. Plans to concentrate on observing nebulae with JH's reflector at Slough. Relays regards and question for P. S. Laplace.
On the eloges of William Herschel being prepared by François Arago and J. B. Fourier. JH's and JS's work on double stars much appreciated among French astronomers. On Alexis Bouvard, Arago, and other French astronomers. On Wilhelm Struve's observations of double stars.
On the transmission of materials between JH and JS. On their joint observations.
Has been making observations as JH requested of the star 70 Ophiuchi. Argues for the accuracy of observations of double stars that JH and JS have made.
Is sending materials to JH. Reports on continued efforts to observe the star 70 Ophiuchi. Has sighted three nebulae that may be unknown to JH.
If you can send a copy of our paper on double stars immediately, it seems certain that the Academy will award a medal for it. Informs JH of most expeditious method of sending same.
Has received materials sent by JS. Printing of paper by JS and JH on double stars is nearly completed. Urges that the issue is not whether the observations of 70 Ophiuchi made by Wilhelm Struve are better than those made by JH and JS; the issue is truth. Caroline Herschel has sent to JH a catalogue of his father's observation. Busy observing nebulae.
Has returned from London. A preprint of JS's and JH's paper on double stars has been delivered to François Arago. Is finding many errata in their paper. Has received a letter from Josef Fraunhofer and the paper [on double stars] of Wilhelm Struve.
The Academy has decided to award JH and JS its astronomy prize for their paper on double stars.
Contacts with Alexis Bouvard and P. S. Laplace. Criticizes an astronomical paper by [Robert] Woodhouse.
Comments negatively on an astronomical paper by Robert Woodhouse. [J. F. A.] Gambert in Marseille has reportedly discovered a comet. Details on the medal to be awarded by the Academy to JH and JS. If, as reported, Wilhelm Struve has come to England, invite him to visit JS in Paris.
JS has received the medals awarded JS and JH by the French Academy for their paper on double stars. Reports on his new work on double stars and his observations of [J. F. A.] Gambert's comet.
Laments the difficulty of transmitting publications between Paris and London. On arrangements to get JH's Lalande Prize medal to JH. JS's recent observations and contacts with Parisian scientists.
On his contacts with French scientists and on their praise for the JH's and JS's catalogue of double stars. Suggests that JH, beset by excessive commitments, cease to devote time to seeing JS's publications through the press. Comments on the personal cost to JS of his devotion to double stars. Remarks on JH's efforts to measure the difference in longitude between the Greenwich and Paris observatories. Data on double stars.
JH's attempts with Edward Sabine to measure the difference in longitude between Greenwich and the Paris Observatory. Supplies, for Alexander von Humboldt, JH's measurement of Mount Etna's height. Gives message for François Arago concerning paper on magnetism published by JH and Charles Babbage.
Comments on various errors detected in the catalogue of double stars published by JH and JS. Scientific affairs in Paris in relation to Alexander von Humboldt, François Arago, P. S. Laplace, and others. Various cometary and stellar observations of JS.
Asks JS to check over and forward to Astronomische Nachrichten JH's paper ['Letter on Fraunhofer's Claims for the Inferiority of Reflecting as Compared to Refracting Telescopes'], which paper calls attentions to errors in the catalogue of double stars published by JS and JH.
Reports observing with J. N. Nicollet two comets. Observations of Encke's comet. Gives position of nebula to be observed by JH.