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.
Thanks for his letter but it does not allude to the calculation he sent. Has seen astronomical clocks previously.
All N. L. Lacaille's observations have been reduced and a complete catalogue sent to Francis Baily to be incorporated into the catalogue of the R.A.S. Hopes Baily is recovering his health.
Has received a series of observations from Thomas Maclear on Alpha1 and Alpha2 Centauri. Comments on these observations and gives results made by the old circle.
Congratulates him on his discovery of the parallax of Alpha Centauri. Comments on this and makes suggestions for further examination.
Thanks for letter and printed address and for the favorable notice of his investigations into Alpha Centauri. Comments on these and some of his observations on other stars. Encloses a note of the position of seven circumpolar stars.
Gives the parallaxes of a few southern stars obtained from his own mural circle. Has sent his memoir on Alpha Centauri to the R.A.S.
Sending the results of his calculations of the parallaxes of the southern stars. Has recommended these stars to Thomas Maclear to observe.
Has had a reply from Thomas Maclear stating that all work has ceased at the Cape Observatory until the work on calculating the Arc of the Meridian has finished. F. W. Bessel has expressed a wish that Centaure should be observed with a heliometer. Wishes a good heliometer could be sent to the Cape.
Sending readings from his observations of the comet.
Regarding the recent comet, believes it to be the one of 1668. Does not feel competent to comment on the proposal to change the names and boundaries of the constellations.
A friend has inquired when Pisces became the sign of the Vernal Equinox; can JH help him? Regarding the comet they observed on their passage home.
Recommends a method for destroying wasps' nests. Refers him to the Gardener's Chronicle for information on flowering Cape bulbs. Has no idea where he can obtain deodar seeds. Would like to see his paper on the influence of light on vegetable colors.
Sending a paper in which he recommends JH's Prelim. Discourse; it is addressed chiefly to mechanics.
Received his letter just as he was about to lecture. Regarding the Institution, there are five or six telescopes in use and G. B. Airy is to deliver lectures, so JH's work may be useful.
Well-wishers of the Ipswich Museum hope to raise a fund for a lithograph portrait of G. Ransome; wonders if JH is interested in becoming a subscriber. Richard Owen is to deliver a lecture at the anniversary meeting next month.
Recommends buying optics for 7.5-inch telescope from Metz and Mahlers in Munich and having those mounted in London.
Drawing attention to his prediction of the storms of 1838 and 1839.
Sends a copy of an ephemeris of Biela's comet for November and December.
Has just completed the orbit for the binary star Mu2 Bootis. Sends details. Could not send his notice of Biela's comet to W. R. Dawes as he did not know his address.
Is grateful for details of his method of calculating the orbits of double stars. Comments on some of his observations.