Reports on good health and behavior of JH's new daughter, Caroline Emilia Herschel. Comments on Greek music and on recent results of the R.S.L. Glass Committee.
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Reports on good health and behavior of JH's new daughter, Caroline Emilia Herschel. Comments on Greek music and on recent results of the R.S.L. Glass Committee.
Been working on a new mirror for the 20-ft. telescope; very pleased with its performance. Asks CH to distribute his fourth catalog of double stars among the Prussian and German astronomers.
Sends to CH his new book, Prelim. Discourse. Writes that he 'took little part in the proceedings about the Royal Society. Under any circumstances I would not have held the office of President more than a year and should have felt it a grievous evil to have held it at all.'
Has determined the periods of four double stars. JH considers the determination of the elliptical orbits of double stars as 'one of the greatest [discoveries] ever made.'
JH awarded the Guelphic Order of Knighthood by King William IV, an honor earlier bestowed on William Herschel.
Wilhelm Struve's observations support JH's findings concerning the rapid revolution of Eta Coronae. In acknowledgement of the discovery that double stars are a 'revolving binary system,' JH changed the inscription on William Herschel's monument.
On his German travels, JH left Margaret Herschel and the children at Slough because he feared their exposure to the cholera epidemic.
JH and Margaret Herschel visited the Isle of Wight.
JH reports the birth of his son William James Herschel.
JH preparing for his journey to Cape Town. Compiling a catalog of nebulae and clusters. Sending to CH a comparison of a new set of elements of Gamma Virginis and a set of observations of it from 1720-1833; JH asks CH to send a copy to Carl Gauss.
JH explains how CH's money will be allotted to her while JH is in Cape Town. Margaret Herschel writes CH a note describing JH's new son William.
Sent to CH JH's fifth catalog of double stars. JH will send to CH his new nebulae observations very soon.
Mentions to CH that 2000 of the nebulae and all of the engravings are printed.
Ready to embark to Cape Town; JH expects to arrive at the end of January. Sent out the last proof sheet of JH's nebulae catalog last night.
Sailing to Cape Town, JH reports sighting an English ship.
Reports that they are 'safely landed and comfortably housed' in Africa. The Herschels were at sea for nine weeks and two days. Required several days to unload the instruments and luggage from the ship. Has chosen a house, about five miles from town, called 'The Grove.' Excited with the calm, clear nights, which will be excellent for observations.
Reviews his voyage to Africa in case CH did not receive JH's 1834-1-21 letter. Repairing the house that they bought outside of Cape Town, called 'Feldhausen' by the Dutch and 'The Grove' by the English; they are staying at another home close by. Happy that Table Mountain near the house shelters Feldhausen from southeast gales.
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.
JH describes his sweeps of Scorpio. Writes that the Milky Way is 'extremely curious and interesting.' Has collected a large catalog of southern nebulae, many never before detected. JH's search for Halley's Comet has been unsuccessful thus far.
Applauds CH elected an [honorary] member of the R.A.S. Missed seeing Halley's Comet and Johann Encke's comet; Thomas Maclear, however, viewed Encke's three times. Has studied nearly the entire Southern sky.