Text Online
From:
George Biddell Airy
To:
Michael Faraday
Date:
c September 1834
Source of text:
RI MS F1 N/2/14
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Faraday Project
No summary available.
Abstracts of barometrical pressure in various parts of the earth. Has used James South's equatorial with Richard Sheepshanks's clockwork attached. Constitution of Paris Observatory being changed. D. F. J. Arago's experiments on glass and metal. Humphrey Lloyd's experiments on reflected light. Edinburgh's Observatory site likely to be changed. John Pond (Astronomer Royal) has been asked to resign. Thomas Maclear's Cape circle. Reasons for the delay in delivery of R. A. Cauchoix's telescope to Cambridge. House of Lords and Commons burnt down.
Has just been made president of the R.A.S. No news of John Pond's retirement. R. A. Cauchoix's telescope has arrived. Printing of his 1834 observations are well advanced.
Describes the tests and adjustments JH has recommended to Thomas Maclear to try to remove anomalies from the functioning of the transit circle at the Royal Observatory, Cape of Good Hope; also comments on the beauty of some southern nebulae.
Sends his 1834 observations. Has received JH's weather observing instructions. Likely to accept the post of Astronomer Royal when John Pond resigns. Further remarks on new telescope and of E. J. Cooper's (near Sligo) - planetary disks - errors of divisions of circles. Possibility of small observatory in Upper Canada.
Congratulates GA on being honored by H. M. Government [GA was offered a knighthood, which he declined], and of being appointed Astronomer Royal, and further tells GA about some of JH's observations, and the instruments in use [letter finished 11 Oct.].
No summary available.
No summary available.
Past difficulties and faults with running of Royal Observatory. Hopes Halley's Comet has been observed. Further information on the telescope presented to Cambridge Observatory by Hugh Percy (3rd Duke of Northumberland). James Challis has succeeded GA at Cambridge. Proposed new railway near Royal Observatory and its effect on observations.
No summary available.
Another son born. Has given lectures at Cambridge University. Remarks on routine at Royal Observatory. St. Helena Observatory closed. Printing of the Greenwich Observations. 'Northumberland' telescope not ready yet. Observations on the Greenwich zenith tube. Estimates for the Observatory. Suggests that the Observatory should be moved to a new site. Railway plan near Greenwich altered. James MacCullagh's new theory of optics.
No summary available.
No summary available.
[Form Letter] Government committee appointed to replace standards of length and measure destroyed in Parliament fire. List of questions seeking recipients' opinion on subject.
Has been asked to serve on a Standards Commission, to reestablish standards destroyed by the fire in the Houses of Parliament [1834]; is willing to serve.
A notice of meeting of the Standards Commission.
Asks JH to compile list of questions to be sent to 'commercial bodies' regarding prospective changes in standards of weights and measures. To be presented at June 1838 meeting of Commission of Standards [see JH's 1838-5-24].
Encloses official instructions to Thomas Maclear. Prices of telescopes. Remarks on caustics.
Announces 7 July meeting of Standard Commission at R.A.S. apartments.
About JH's visit to Carl Friedrich Gauss, and Gauss's well-devised magnetic measuring instruments.