Introducing a Mr. Lerebours, son of the optician at the Bureau des Longitudes, who is on a visit to England. Hopes JH has received the copy of JN's work on geometry, written in a new way.
Introducing a Mr. Lerebours, son of the optician at the Bureau des Longitudes, who is on a visit to England. Hopes JH has received the copy of JN's work on geometry, written in a new way.
Is ordering a pocket chronometer from Molyneux and Co. on behalf of Joseph Johann Littrow of Austria.
JH shocked by MB's note. Will tell Mrs. Moorsom tomorrow.
Wrote and asked F. L. Chantrey to write to MH. Baby Caroline is fine. Condolences as MH attends to sister Isabella.
Isabella Stewart's death seems imminent. Should JH bring baby Caroline to London for funeral? Mrs. Moorsom reports that Lady Mary Herschel needed help of physician Mr. Fowler. Baby is fine.
By order of lords of Admiralty, notice is sent of royal appointment of JH and others to Board of Visitors to Greenwich Observatory. [Letter forwarded 29 Nov. from R.S.L. to JH by Davies Gilbert with compliments.]
Royal warrant appointing Board of Visitors to Royal Observatory, Greenwich.
Thanks WS for excerpt from Niccolo Cacciatore's letter; comments on the awarding of medals for merit, and points out some necessary conditions which must be considered if the observations of the satellites of Jupiter are to be used in determining the constant of aberration.
Advises WS on best ways to make a 'darkening glass' for solar observations. Also suggests method for delineating sunspots. Hopes WS will attend Nautical Almanac meeting and support his points. Completes two telescope mirrors and observes Uranian satellites. Asks WS to look for a double star between Beta1 and Beta2 Capricorni.
Discusses WS's observations of double stars and method of averaging positional determinations. Believes he has verified the two Uranian satellites observed by William Herschel.
Thanks TH for some crystals, including borax, as well as a paper by J. J. Lister. JH has been cutting the borax crystals preparatory to grinding and polishing them; JH has used these crystals to observe a phenomenon previously seen with a mass of niter.
Discusses [James] Bradley's observations of double stars. Asks JH for assistance.
Thanks JH for letter [see SR's 1830-9-6]. Discusses publication of [James] Bradley's observations. Congratulates JH on confirming satellites of Uranus seen by William Herschel.
Discusses [James] Bradley's observations and possibility of double stars [see SR's 1830-9-6]. Seems no double stars are readily apparent. Discusses another experiment.
Discusses eighteenth-century observations from Greenwich. Describes curious observations of stars in Gamma Virginis and Polaris.
Sent some Edinburgh ale to the Herschels. Will not patent telescope. Discusses Giovanni Santini's article on telescopes in the Quarterly Journal.
Pleased that JH enjoyed the ale. Asks whether comets could be portions of the luminous atmosphere surrounding the sun.
Admires her manuscript [Mechanism of the Heavens]. Wishes [P. S.] Laplace would have lived to see it. Notes a problem with the principle of virtual velocity.
Thanks JH for attention to Mrs. Somerville's work [Mechanism of the Heavens]. Please send any part of the work that he has finished.
Mrs. Somerville cannot decide what to call her book [Mechanism of the Heavens]. Please advise so publishing can commence.