Thanks JH for having been nominated to England's Astronomical Society. Notes that his results on double stars agree with those of JH and James South. Eagerly awaits new 14-foot achromatic telescope.
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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.
Thanks JH for having been nominated to England's Astronomical Society. Notes that his results on double stars agree with those of JH and James South. Eagerly awaits new 14-foot achromatic telescope.
Asks WS for account of the performance of his new [Josef] Fraunhofer telescope. Corroborates WS's double star motion data, except for 70 Ophiuchi, where JH and [James] South find no motion. Asks for observational targets and urges care in WS's observational technique. Mentions WS's intention to undertake celestial zone with [F. W.] Bessel. Describes [Henry] Kater's 'floating collimator.'
Illegible.
Offers to participate in determining stellar parallaxes by finding the angle position of double stars. Apprises Henry Kater that he has never seen Saturn's rings separated. Includes micrometer measurements of Saturn and Jupiter.
Mentions a four month absence from Dorpat. Commends [James] South on his work on double stars yet states that South's distances for nearby stars are too large. Considers his measurements, previous to his [Josef] Fraunhofer telescope, significant, even if South refuses to accept them. Thanks JH for the difference in the longitudinal measurements between Paris and Greenwich.
Interested in JH's catalogue of dimmer double stars. Worries about determining parallax of very close stars. Points out mistake in JH's formula for determining 'the maxima and minima of the position angles.' Informs JH of German translation of William Herschel's writings, Wilhelm Herschels sämmtliche Schriften.
May not be able to separate double stars with the twenty foot reflector. Is reviewing nebulae. Regrets [Josef] Fraunhofer did not live to see WS's work. Speaks of standard catalogue of 2881 stars as joint labor of all observatories. Interested in bright stars with minute companions.
Announces eight copies of his Catalogus novus stellarum duplicium et multiplicium are being sent. Has delegated some work on double stars to his aid [E. W.] Preuß.
Has more leisure after resigning as Secretary to the Royal Society. Is sending his and [James] South's magnitude scales and positions of observation for WS to compare. Lists common double stars and offers means of comparison. Remarks on 'new star,' the fifth star in the trapezoid of Orion.
Surprised and grateful for JH's encouragement concerning his Stellarum duplicium. Informs JH that the observatory survived the fire at Abo. The university is moving to Helsingfors, Finland. [F. W. A.] Argelander will remain and is working on determining delineations of the foundation stars.
Accepts JH's extension of Class I double stars. Comments on comparison of these and suggests comparison of respective scales might be mutually useful. Includes continuation of work on micrometer measurements of Saturn. Notices strange eccentricity of Saturn's rings. Is considering comparing his degree-measurements with Finland and Lapland.
Lists contents of a letter sent on 1828-7-6. JH's Light and third catalogue of double stars sent. Details of nebulae included.
Hopes to meet JH and [James] South in summer. Announces emperor's decision to support measurement of the 3.5° latitude meridian throughout the entire Russian empire. WS is responsible for directing work in the north. Emphasizes the importance of maintaining correct linear standards uniform with both France and England. Requests a copy of the English standard so as to compare it with the Russian measurements of degrees.
Requests advice in determining optimal time for visit to England. Thanks for invitation to Slough. Mentions completion of his sixth volume of observations, the introduction of which could prove interesting to JH. Fascinated by JH's observation of a sixth star in the trapezoid of Orion.
Will arrive in England in mid-August. Mentions convention of German scientists on 18 September and invites JH.
Briefs JH on his productive Paris visit and offers details concerning his upcoming England visit.
Deeply regrets having missed JH before departure. Thanks for priceless gift of William Herschel's works and for the glimpses of nebulae. Requests his catalogue on noteworthy nebulae when completed.
Reminds WS to select certain nebulae for 'communal observation.' Received good news from Finland. Gave [James] South the list of 36 double stars to be observed. Stars compare except result in smaller distances than JH's and South's observations.
Asks JH to thank Henry Kater for his comparison of WS's scale to that of the standard-yard. Mentions breakout of cholera as reason for delay in responding. Includes many measurements of year's work.
Mentions [James] South's visit to Dorpat. Includes his observations of the past year. Concedes that JH saw Biela's comet first.