Herschels safely landed from Africa and in fine spirits.
Herschels safely landed from Africa and in fine spirits.
Enjoyed CH's last letter.
Wishes CH a happy 93rd birthday. Occupied with remodelling the Southern Constellations, which 'are all in confusion;' admits that not everyone will be satisfied with his constellation reforms.
George Airy, George Peacock, and [Adam] Sedgwick are visiting Collingwood for Christmas. Airy writes JH that an American astronomer named [Ormsby] 'Mitchell' has seen Antares double. JH reports that William Lassell and W. R. Dawes have observed the 7th Saturnian satellite and also another of the six satellites of the 'Georgium Sidus' [Uranus]. JH is confident that his Cape Results will go to the presses in January.
Sent to CH a copy of James South's second paper on double stars and a synoptic catalog of them. Calls CH one of the first discoverers of the 'comet of 1795.' Sent to Astronomical Society a report on 300 new double stars.
Recovering from a prolonged illness. Discusses parallax. JH reports that he now is very skilled at sweeping with the 20-ft reflecting telescope.
Informs CH of his gold medal from the French Academy of Sciences for JH's and James South's paper on double stars. Finds CH's catalogue of nebulae in zones very useful. Heard about Johann Pfaff's death. James Grahame may be moving to Göttingen.
Studied 659 double stars; JH is confident that his work proves his father's conclusions. Now plans to study nebulae.
JH will have little time for astronomy due to election as Secretary to the R.S.L.; the appointment also has forced JH to move from Slough to London.
Happy to be reunited with mother. JH thanks CH for his enjoyable stay in Hanover. Wishes CH well on her [catalogue of] nebulae.
Decides not to go to Switzerland because he wants to visit Hanover. On the way, hopes to see Johann Pfaff at Erlangen, Johann Encke at Seeburg, Baron Bernhard von Lindenau at Gotha, and Carl Gauss and Karl Harding at Göttingen among others.
Describes his laborious journey to the summit of Mt. Etna; from his barometric readings, concludes that its altitude is 10,000 or 11,000 ft. Asks about the progress of Johann Pfaff's translation of William Herschel's papers; JH mentions that he wrote to Pfaff from Cattagione, Sicily. [Letter continued 20 July from Naples and 16 Aug. from Florence.]
Researching double stars. Comparing his finding to William Herschel's, finds that most are compatible. The 40-ft. reflector is unusable, but hopes to try the 20-ft. Heard that WH's papers will be translated into German; wishes Johann Pfaff to undertake it. Asks CH to send him a copy of the finished translation.
Invitation to Caroline, Sir John, and William Herschel to dine with her on Friday.
A note to CH on her 95th birthday.
A note to CH on her 96th birthday.
A note of praise for Margaret Stewart [JH's fiancée] as a covering note for an enclosed 6pp letter from JH's cousin, Mary Baldwin, to CH, describing Margaret and her family.
Describing the wedding of Margaret Brodie Stewart and JH on this day.
Thanks for her communication on her nephew's new calculations for Alpha Virginis. Comments on these and gives some of his own. Sends best wishes to her nephew on his projected visit {to the Cape] and hopes he will study the magnetic force of the earth while he is there.