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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.
Has sent the book. Gives an outline of his own work and ideas he has for the improvement of the piano. Would like JH's comments.
Questions related to JH's 1846-9-26 having been asked by RR, JH writes to answer these questions.
A long statement against a very nasty article in the Mechanics Magazine on the priority controversy surrounding the discovery of Neptune.
Has been carrying out a series of experiments with spiders immersed in acids and finds their bodies are not protected in any way. Has also been experimenting with elastic tissues to see if there is a change of temperature.
Details of WL's observations of a ring and satellite of U. J. J. Leverrier's planet.
Received his letter enclosing Edward Sabine's a few days ago on returning home. Busy at College; otherwise would have written. Could have attended a meeting of Committee of Physics had he known. Discovery of the new planet is a triumph. Has he heard of the attempt to destroy the telescope of William Parsons (3rd Earl of Rosse)?
Announces, to WL, the discovery of a new planet beyond Uranus, gives co-ordinates, and urges WL to look for satellites 'with all possible expedition.'
Has been on the Continent, which accounts for the delay replying to JH's letter of June. Regrets he cannot give an answer to JH's queries regarding the constitution of the ether. Fears his hypothesis on the density of the ether is not clear as it has misled JH. Has read Michael Faraday's papers with eagerness.
Do not let catalogues make WS uneasy. Government money is available to pay printer. Will try to bring out N. L. Lacaille's work before 25 Sept. if JH can obtain [Thomas] Henderson's papers and WS's notes for the preface. Will not interfere with [T.R.] Robinson's committee.
The B.A.A.S. grants £70 for the publication of the catalog of J. J. L. Lalande and N. L. Lacaille.
There is a need for a meeting of the Committee of Physics [R.S.L.] to discuss the current method of making temperature corrections for magnetic observations.
Detailed response to JH's 1846-10-22 about the matter of temperature corrections for magnetic observations.
Suspects that the original complainant about temperature corrections [see JH's 1846-10-22] was in fact working with a faulty magnetometer.
Thanks JH for suggestions concerning optics. Will soon build a model telescope. Asks a series of questions concerning the construction of telescopes.
Description of Pulkowa observatory sent fourteen days before. Included a listing of the library. Otto Struve works on micrometer measurements of double stars. Complains about [J. H. von] Mädler's unprofessional attitude at Dorpat. Announces 'Neptune' as new planet's name.
Sends paper on naming of Neptune. Denounces elimination of [J. C. ] Adams's part versus U. J. J. Le Verrier's role regarding Neptune. Will forward Otto Struve's paper on the expedition between Altona and Greenwich and his own Positiones mediae stellarum fixarum.
Asks whether JH's committee will consider Belfast as a location for B.A.A.S.'s catalog of stars. Remembers clearly JH's quote about Neptune. Thinks JH should not yield to the French in calling Uranus so.
Discusses controversy over the discovery of Neptune. Astronomical committee of R.S.L. advised to award U. J. J. Leverrier the Copley Medal.
Requesting help in procuring person for the staff of the South African College.
Just returned from nine weeks on the continent. Met Miss Caroline Herschel, who mentioned a catalogue of John Flamsteed's stars to which she had attached some notes.