Finished the reductions of all of the nebulae and double stars recorded at Cape Town; JH soon hopes to prepare for the publication of his Cape Results.
Finished the reductions of all of the nebulae and double stars recorded at Cape Town; JH soon hopes to prepare for the publication of his Cape Results.
Wishes CH a happy 93rd birthday. Occupied with remodelling the Southern Constellations, which 'are all in confusion;' admits that not everyone will be satisfied with his constellation reforms.
Concerning the great comet of 1843, JH remarks that both Thomas Henderson and Johann Encke noted that the comet bounced off the sun's atmosphere.
Completed 'one of the most curious products' of JH's Cape Results: the map and catalog of the 'Nubecula major' region.
Enjoyed reading CH's account of some significant events from her life. Reports that James Clark Ross has returned safely from his South Pole expedition in which Ross discovered the true position of the South Magnetic Pole.
Assures CH that he has preserved everything that she ever wrote to JH or that he found in William Herschel's library.
A note to CH on her 95th birthday.
Happy that his Cape Results are nearly finished. After reviewing his work, JH concluded that the amount of error per observation is no more than 30 or 35 seconds.
Reports the birth of JH's 9th child, Mathilda Rose Herschel.
A note to CH on her 96th birthday.
Wishes CH a happy 96th birthday. Reports that when Margaret Herschel's brother John Stewart was in Egypt, he saw a comet. JH remarks that 'there seems to be no end of the comets.'
JH expresses pleasure in receiving and reading extracts from CH's biography. Expects to begin printing his Cape Results by Christmas. In finalizing his Cape Results, JH has found that several Southern double stars moved in the five-year span of his observations.
George Airy, George Peacock, and [Adam] Sedgwick are visiting Collingwood for Christmas. Airy writes JH that an American astronomer named [Ormsby] 'Mitchell' has seen Antares double. JH reports that William Lassell and W. R. Dawes have observed the 7th Saturnian satellite and also another of the six satellites of the 'Georgium Sidus' [Uranus]. JH is confident that his Cape Results will go to the presses in January.
A collection of birthday greetings from JH, his wife, Margaret, and seven of their children, six of whom wrote their greetings in German. JH refers to Biela's Comet having thrown off a portion of itself, producing what JH calls a 'Double Comet.'
[Written as a family letter.] JH has corrected the first proof sheet of his Cape Results. Reports that Biela's Comet has been found to be a double comet.
Reports that Biela's Comet split into two comets; JH has observed it several times. 30-40 pages of JH's Cape Results have been printed.
JH is working hard on his Cape Results.
JH is sending with the letter a finished printing of his Cape Results, which JH describes as 'the completion of my Father's work—the survey of the Nebulous Heavens.' Also mailing a copy of the Cape Results to the King of Hanover. Wilhelm Struve, John Couch Adams, and U. J. J. Leverrier are visiting Collingwood.
JH expects that CH has received the copy of his Cape Results that he sent recently.