Showing 21–40 of 85 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.
Will assist JH in preparing review of terrestrial magnetism. Progress in publishing vol. 2 of observations from St. Helena. Prince Albert favors new observatories and hopes to see JH [at B.A.A.S. meeting] in Aberdeen. Research in British colonies. Demonstration of Mr. Gossert's apparatus by [T. R.] Robinson.
A. D. Bache reports that self-recording instruments are installed at Washington observatory and ready to begin observations. ES is making field observations to confirm changes in magnetic lines in England since ES's 1837 survey. [JH annotation: Summary of Bache's letter. Joint survey by Smithsonian Institution and U.S. Coast Survey will begin when Bache receives full instructions from Sabine.]
Does JH wish to alter ES's reply to A. D. Bache? Origins of names for American rivers. Hopes JH is well enough to accept the invitation of Lord Aberdeen [G. Hamilton-Gordon].
Replied to J. A. da Silva that Kew Observatory would gladly train Portuguese observers and superintend manufacture of instruments, but that ES could not speak for English government. [JH annotation: Summary of letter from da Silva, director of meteorological observatory in Lisbon, requesting training for Portuguese observers at Kew, British influence on Portuguese government to join magnetic survey, and advice on instruments.]
Notified Richard Owen that Kew observatory is ready to receive trainees for magnetic observations. Stewart Balfour estimates six weeks to train observers, who will then take instruments and leave for British Columbia or Shanghai. New observatory at University of Mississippi in U.S. American Association for the Advancement of Science has expressed interest in magnetic survey. Success in photographing sunspots, which R. C. Carrington and Warren de La Rue will supervise. Recent observations.
Encloses ES's résumé of magnetic surveys accomplished by U.K., written to encourage similar surveys in China and North America. Perhaps JH may append this to JH's report.
Proper procedure for communicating with Charles Grey. Cost and effectiveness of self-registering instruments versus older visual instruments. ES's method of estimating observatory expenses. Importance of observatory in Shanghai.
Extract of letter from Charles Grey, asking B.A.A.S. to inform Prince Albert of estimated expenses for proposed five-year survey of terrestrial magnetism. As president of joint committee of B.A.A.S. and R.S.L., JH should answer this. Entry of three U.S. observatories may eliminate need for observatory in Newfoundland. Recent visit to Kew by A. T. Kupffer suggests that Russian stations may soon have self-recording instruments. Proposes suspending observatory in Falkland Islands until colonies decide to join survey. Dutch observatory in Java. Describes buildings needed for observatories. Estimates expenses for six years.
Summarizes for JH the more extensive report appended, which recommends to the R.S.L. and the B.A.A.S. the establishment of magnetic observatories in several Colonial locations.
Comments on a proposed grant to publish T. R. Robinson's Armagh observations.
Discusses shipping some of JH's books, with a shipment of other books for the Royal Society, to the R.S.L. in order to save shipping charges.
Glad JH received gelatine paper. Discusses magnetic experiments at Toronto and Hobarton. Discusses R.S.L. committees and preparation of instruments for Arctic expedition.
Hypothesizes that annual variation of Dip and Total Force at Toronto may be caused by greater proximity of earth and sun. Discusses annual variations.
Wants advice regarding recalculation of magnetic lines using [C. F.] Gauss's method and new numerical data. This will be a provisional calculation.
Cannot offer advice regarding geo-magnetism. Suggests ES ask [C. F.] Gauss for assistance.
Saw [J. B.] Listing, who may see JH soon. Sends volume of Cape magnetic observations. Thermometer at Kew is a great success. New thermometers compare favorably with [Henri] Regnault's.
Read JH's Admiralty Manual meteorology article. Disagrees with statement regarding barometer and pressure of dry atmosphere. Discusses atmosphere and barometer at some length.
Discusses regulations of bequest, which will benefit chemistry and physics. Discusses relationship between solar spot period and magnetic disturbances. Wants JH's comments on paper regarding this topic.
Believes similarity of period of solar spots and that of terrestrial magnetic variation is more than coincidental.
Discusses magnetic observations from Toronto and Hobarton from the 1840s. Attempting to determine when range of variation was greatest.