Comments on the radiant heat of heavenly bodies and the motion of Sirius.
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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.
Comments on the radiant heat of heavenly bodies and the motion of Sirius.
Sending some tables to show the relation between the mean distances of the primary and secondary planets.
The Meteorological Committee of the R.S.L. is about to commence publishing the summary of the observation collected from the seven observatories. Would like JH's advice on method of publishing the barometric observations.
Is fully satisfied with the objections in WM's letter regarding the individual records of barometric pressure. Gives advice on how the records should be shown.
It was a great pleasure to receive JH's letter. Sees that he still remembers the day at Portsmouth. Hopes to collect and publish her father's letters and now returns those written to JH.
Thanks JH for the memoirs he sent to CP, who will reciprocate with some of his own.
Commentary on manuscript [Personal Recollections?] that [MS] sent to JH one month ago. Career of scientific learning and domestic happiness will inspire future generations. Suggests publishing it posthumously for greater impact. Corrects passages about Charles Babbage. Gives purpose, history, and membership of each of two Standards committees, one of 1819 and one of 1838. Suggests avoiding topic of bitter controversy over invention of electric telegraph.
Notices in letter of last May JH's postscript about the rate of color blindness occurring to overworked or ill artists, and doubts it becomes di-chromic, but merely a 'weakness' of vision.
Desires advice on construction of glass prisms for Newtonian reflecting telescopes. Also asks how to test the parabolic figure of a glass speculum before silvering.
Has made the changes JH suggested. Autobiography will be published posthumously. Met [Henry W.] Longfellow. Wishes the Herschels would visit because it might improve JH's health.
Agrees with BS's objection against performing daily analyses of individual barometric pressure records. Believes monthly analyses of importance for observing laws of annual pressure.
Suggests remedy for bronchitis problem in JH family. Young John Herschel's work on nebulae pleases CP. Comments on William Huggins's work on solar spectra.
Has discovered William Herschel's memoirs in R.A.S. library; arranged and read them. Asks JH whether any copies exist so the originals can be checked for completion before binding. Questions JH on William Herschel's opinion of the nature of nebulae and boundaries of the galaxy.
Would be pleased if JH would come to the consecration of the new chapel in May.
Consulted A. C. L. G. Günther, museum ichthyologist. Answers JH's question about poisonous herring Clupea thryssa. [A. K.] Johnston's Physical Atlas attributes Ruminants article to GW, but GW wrote only Rodentia article.
Extensive discussion of comparative anatomy, taxonomy, and distribution of rodents. Encourages JH to use term Hystricidae for porcupines in JH's [Physical Geography (1861)].
Reptile genera in JH's [Physical Geography ] are consistent with those of [Edward] Forbes cited in Johnston's Physical Atlas [1854], but new genera have been discovered. Questions JH's claim that Elgin sandstone is Devonian. Notes Richard Owen's estimates on pterodactyl size, and distinct tail feathers [illustration] on recent specimen from Bavaria. Corrects JH's names for beaver genera.