Reports the birth of his fifth child, Alexander Stewart. Has made some excellent observations of Halley's Comet. Asks CH to inform Carl Gauss that JH has not received Gauss's magnetometer nor is JH certain of how to use it.
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Reports the birth of his fifth child, Alexander Stewart. Has made some excellent observations of Halley's Comet. Asks CH to inform Carl Gauss that JH has not received Gauss's magnetometer nor is JH certain of how to use it.
Is too busy to use Carl Gauss's magnetometer. Viewing Halley's Comet has interrupted JH's sweeps. Reports that Gamma Virginis is a single star in both the 20-ft. reflector and 7-ft. equatorial.
Work nearly finished here. Has documented the sixth satellite of Saturn and has seen possibly a seventh.
Confident that 1837 will be his last year in Africa. JH's catalog of nebulae and double stars is nearly complete. Has a series of observations of Halley's Comet from 1836-1-25 to 1836-5-5. Although JH is too busy to undertake any magnetic studies, he has been providing information about Carl Gauss's magnetometer to the new observatory in Bombay. Recalls that Charles Babbage mentioned the 'principle' of Gauss's method 'at least 10 or 12 years' ago.
Reports that he viewed Halley's Comet from 1836-1-25 to 1836-5-10. Now studying sunspots and solar radiation. Comments that the sun has more spots than JH previously thought. Has been busy during the December solstice determining the constant of solar radiation.
Has decisively mapped Saturn's sixth satellite; doubts, however, that he will ever see the seventh. Asks CH to inform Friedrich Bessel of his observation.
Eliminated plans to visit Rio de Janeiro on the Herschels' return home, which will enable them to visit Hanover. Notes that JH's rheumatism attacks have interfered with his observations. JH considers his sweeping work finished. Has sent to the R.S.L. the first six hours of JH's 'Southern Catalogue of Nebulae and Double Stars' along with the micrometric measures of 400 southern double stars made with the equatorial.
[Postscript to a letter by Margaret Herschel:] JH notes that he has finished the reduction of the first 9 hours in Right Ascension of his southern nebulae and double stars.
Herschels safely landed from Africa and in fine spirits.
Reports a joyous reunion with family and friends.
Copies the inscription on a vase awarded to JH to commemorate his work at Cape Town.
Impressed with the new President of the R.S.L., Spencer J. A. Compton. Has learned that Carl Gauss was awarded the Copley Medal for his research in terrestrial magnetism.
Sent to CH her diploma from the Royal Irish Academy on account of her election as an honorary member.
Prepared to send to CH copies of the Index to John Flamsteed.
Has enclosed with the letter 'a letter sketch of the 40 feet [telescope] (as it now stands) made without hands, by Photography.'
The 20-ft. reflecting telescope used at Cape Town was delivered safely to Slough.
Reports the birth of JH's seventh child, Maria Sophia. Met Adolphus Frederick, the Duke of Cambridge, who asked about CH.
Packing up the 7-ft. and 10-ft. reflecting telescopes for their trip to Collingwood in Hawkhurst in Kent, JH's new home.
Reports that there is no bust of William Herschel at the R.S.L., as JH once believed.
JH has given away his sweeping telescope to [Johann] Hausmann and the 5-ft. Newtonian reflector to the R.A.S. to be preserved 'long after I and all the little ones are dead and gone.' The skies have been excellent for JH to observe variable stars and to connect the northern with the southern magnitudes. Proved that Alpha Orionis is both a variable star and a periodical star.