Describes JH's location at the Cape and his observational sweeps, lists nebulae and double stars, as well as comet and eclipse observations. [Letter finished on 1835-3-5.]
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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.
Describes JH's location at the Cape and his observational sweeps, lists nebulae and double stars, as well as comet and eclipse observations. [Letter finished on 1835-3-5.]
Compares magnitudes for some specific stars and then comments more generally on that question; JH believes he will no longer be able to observe in winter in England as he is too severely afflicted by rheumatism.
Requests that HS look for a shipment of a clock and send it on to J. J. Littrow, and inform the maker in London, Robert Molyneux, that HS has done this. JH sends along John Pond's catalogue of star position differences.
Discusses a letter in which JH explains why JH cannot, as a British subject, accept the foreign order offered him [by the Danish king]. Asks HS to read over the letter and to decide how it should be delivered.
JH replies (to RS:HS 15.389) that neither JH nor his father held that the moon influenced the atmosphere, though JH does connect a full moon with a clear sky. [Eliza] Hamilton, sister of W. R. Hamilton, has published some poetry that is not well known, but deserving. Cannot accept foreign order.
HS was elected associate of Astronomical Society. This year's prize relates to theory of Saturn's satellites. Does HS plan to continue his table of apparent places of fixed stars?
JH willing to communicate with HS on worthwhile matters. Subscribes Astronomical Society to HS's Astronomische Nachrichten. Explains 'Prize Question.' Requests copy of F. W. Bessel's essay on fourth satellite of Saturn. Society resolved to print 'daily tables of 46 stars.'
Sends packet of books and papers for delivery to J. W. A. Pfaff, copy of JH's 'Essay on Physical Astronomy,' and JH's and James South's work on double stars. Promises to send biographical notice of William Herschel. Astronomical Society received HS's 'Schreiben en Dr. Olbers.'
Orders missing issues of Astronomische Nachrichten. Answers HS's question about JH's essay on Physical Astronomy. James South's testimony 'vindicated' Josef Fraunhofer's repeating micrometer to Edward Troughton. C. F. Gauss's mode of determining powers of telescopes. Nothing heard of Captain [Maughan?]. Directions for sending [K. L.] 'Harding's atlas' to JH. Gives J. F. Daniell's address. Astronomical Society is gratified that HS dedicated book to it. Shall direct Robert Molyneux to send L. A. Fallon's clock to HS.
Sends HS's observations of magnetic declination and dip near London for forwarding to Carl F. Gauss. Encloses a letter from Edward Sabine.
Thanks for honor conferred by Astronomical Society. Mentions [F. W.] Bessel's paper on the 4th satellite of Saturn. Calculated tables of apparent places of 45 stars, which HS plans to publish annually.
Sends invitation to participate in an astronomical journal. Asks JH to forward letter to [F.] Fallows at the Cape of Good Hope. Mentions [Thomas] Young's plans to travel. Requests that JH forward letters to [W. H.] Wollaston, [John] Brinkley, [David] Brewster, and [Henry] Kater. Encloses announcement of founding of Astronomische Abhandlungen and of Astronomische Nachrichten.
Thanks for forwarding notice on journal to [F.] Fallows. Hopes to use the longitudinal differences of English observations to improve observations.
[J. W. A.] Pfaff plans to publish a translation and edition of all William Herschel's papers. Requests a catalogue of those papers and permission to publish a biography of his later years.
Thanks for forwarded essay on physical astronomy. Remarks about method for precisely determining the power of a telescope. Has [C. L.] Harding's celestial atlas. Wanted to dedicate book to Astronomical Society, but asks privately whether permission is necessary.
Will forward Astronomische Nachrichten to JH and Astronomical Society. Comments on quality of [Joseph] Fraunhofer's micrometer, which has only the wires illuminated. [C. F.] Gauss uses a theodolite to determine the angle of the telescope.
Announces a new step to all astronomers toward understanding the solar system due to work of [Thomas] Clausen of the Altona observatory. Clausen recognized that the comet discovered by Biela was the same as that of 1805 and 1772. HS gives details of circumstances.
Sends news of a cholera epidemic to help JH make his summer plans. Mentions a number of new cases from Altona, Hamburg, and Berlin. Asks JH not to spread information.
Sends two bottles of Claret and a box to be forwarded for [Francis] Baily.
[Otto] Rosenberger has calculated perturbations of Halley's Comet by the inner planets. [Wilhelm] Beer and [J. H.] Mädler have a map of the moon and have located two moving spots on Jupiter. F. W. Bessel's assistant has reduced James Bradley's observation to constants of aberration and nutation.