Has taken the liberty of sending James Fayrer with his levers for JH's advice.
Showing 41–60 of 117 items
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 taken the liberty of sending James Fayrer with his levers for JH's advice.
Meteorological Observations and Journal appears to be defunct. Fears that he will be unable to recover any of the papers.
Has heard from Charles Babbage about JH, JH's father, and their telescopes. Describes telescope commission. Hopes to get to know JH better.
Observations on the weather of the past winter. 42 Virginis. Printing of [Stephen] Groombridge's catalogue. Has written article for the Penny Cyclopaedia. Refracted light in prisms. Machine for polarization of the sky. Petition to Parliament to abolish religious tests for degrees at Cambridge.
Thrilled that JH has arrived safely in Cape Town; notes that JH's Cape Town trip has captivated the intellectual world.
Has heard of his safe arrival at the Cape. Recent personal happenings and events at Palermo Observatory. Accuracy of G. B. Airy's observations.
Describes voyage to Cape as being uneventful. 20-ft. reflector operating since late February; has already examined much of the southern sky. Believes the Milky Way is not equidistant from the earth at all points; and that the earth is between Canopus and Alpha Centauri. Amazed at clusters such as Omega Centauri. Describes richness of Magellanic Clouds. Details progress in erecting instruments. Sends observations of Alpha Crucis, which he believes is a double star.
[Form letter] Announces next two meetings of Statistical Society.
Is glad Mrs. Hall has written to Lady Herschel. Would like a private yacht so that he could travel round the world making scientific observations. Is pleased JH had a good voyage to the Cape and hopes things are progressing.
Has decided to put the dinner party off until Monday due to the wet weather. Is working hard at the reductions. Is indebted to the Herschels for the use of their carriage.
JH will break his rule about never going out when it is possible to sweep the sky, and dine with TM; will offer some help over mural circle problems.
Is sending a volume dealing with primeval history, which he hopes JH will accept. Is in some way related to JH.
Sweeping progressing quickly; has used the 20-ft. reflecting telescope since February. Discovered two planetary nebulae. Studying Scorpio closely, as CH suggested; has found gorgeous globular clusters there. The equatorial was erected recently.
Rejoices to hear of his safe arrival at the Cape, and his interest in Cape educational matters. Hears he has already paid attention to the native race. Sends letter by Dr. J. D. Lang of New South Wales.
Describes enthusiastically the journey to the Cape, the beauties of the country, and the joys of astronomical observing there.
Sends observations of the double stars, which JH had suggested.
Is happy to hear of his safe arrival at the Cape and comfortably housed. Comments on two stars Alpha1 and Alpha2 Centauri.
Summary of GA's 1834-4-24, with additional information that he has written a book entitled Gravitation. Confusion over 42 Virginis. Affair between James South, and Edward Troughton and William Simms has been referred to arbitration. Experiments on Newton's rings by transmission. Letter to Thomas Maclear about his mural circle. Saw the eclipse of 16 July. Tarnish of JH's mirrors. R. A. Cauchoix's delay with telescope. [The final two pages of this letter are from Richarda Airy to Margaret Brodie Herschel.]
Gives location of a planetary nebula.
Wishes JH well at the Cape; describes some of his current observations.