Scope and Contents An undated photocopy of minutes of the Council of the Royal Society, Volume IV, pp. 159-163, covering the meetings of the 5 and 12 June 1755 and 3 July 1755. The principal topic is the sale of the Acton estate and the resulting inheritance by the Society of documents and land. Other subjects include the construction of a telescope by Mr Short for the Royal Observatory at Greenwich and Short's lease of a Gregorian telescope from the Observatory; the appointment of Lord Charles Cavendish as...

Scope and Contents Miscellaneous papers concerning astronomical matters, including letters from T. Henderson, C.P. Smyth, A. de Morgan, J.R. Hind, J.W. Lubbock, J. Challis, F. Baily and others. The subjects covered include the printing of comet tables; the locations in the 'Philosophical Transactions' of the papers of Flamsteed, Bradley and Maskelyne relating to Greenwich observations; reports on the transit of Mercury, 1832; the occultation of Mercury, 1838; newspaper cuttings of the transit of Mercury in...

Scope and Contents Memoranda and notes to staff concerning portable instruments and property of the Royal Observatory, 1875-1882.Letter of thanks to the Director of the Science Museum for the gift of a photograph of Harrison's chronometer No. 2, 1928.Correspondence with the State Research Institute of Geodesy and Cartography, Moscow, concerning an exchange of almanacs, 1933.Correspondence with Lord Bishop of Guildford, 1934, concerning his presentation of two sketches of the Royal...

Scope and Contents (1) Correspondence, 1834-1895Correspondence regarding J.C. Adams and other subjects, as follows:Index to correspondence, 1895.C. Taylor's suggestion of a memorial to J.C. Adams at Westminster Abbey, 1892.D. McAlister's proposal for a publication of J.C. Adams's papers, with lists of important correspondence, 1892-1893.Notes on correspondence in the Royal Observatory records regarding the search for Neptune, 1834.Notes from J.F.W. Hershel's...

Scope and Contents Examination of John Flamsteed and James Bradley's observations, primarily by John Howe.1. Distances from the Pole Star to the Pole based on observations by Tycho Brahe in 1583 and by Flamsteed in 1690, compiled by Howe, 31 May 1708.2. The precession of the equinox inferred from Flamsteed's 1690 observations, compiled by Howe, 13 December 1770.3. Apparent right ascension of the star Alpha Aquilae, 1753-1756, and other stars.4. A star catalogue showing proper...

Scope and Contents Various observations of the major stars.1. Catalogue of right ascensions of stars compared with Alpha Aquilae, 1765-1766.2. Problem to find the small differences of the interval of time of two stars passing two given wires in the transit telescope, including methodology and examples.3. James Bradley's solstices, 1753-1760.4. Corrections to the line of collimation in the quadrant, 1765-1808, tested by observations of Gamma Draconis and other stars.5....

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A rough copy of observations and calculations primarily on the transits of the planets, 11 April 1719 - 7 August 1724, written in Latin. The entries include the lunar eclipse of 1722; a second eclipse of 1722, observed by D. Graham at Fleet Street, London; and a description of a comet, observed 10-13 October 1724, with an account of the comet's passage printed in English on a separate sheet. There is also a brief note of James Bradley's observations at Wanstead, Essex, June 1724.

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The collection contains a complete series of transit observations for Bradley's term as Astronomer Royal, supplemented by notes, calculations, tables and correspondence, with a smaller set of observations and other papers relating to Bliss. The observation ledgers for both Astronomer Royals feature the handwriting of Charles Green, who was Bradley's assistant and continued in his post under Bliss. The papers are written mainly in English, but also include Latin and one item in Italian.

Scope and Contents Miscellaneous astronomical, physical and mathematical topics, including sections on the following:1. Primary planets (23 remarks); comet tails (4 points); James Bradley's parallax: tides; centripetal forces (misbound); lunar apsides and inequalities; projectiles in a parabola (19 observations); centripetal forces (16 rules); cycloid (16 statements); capillary tubes, written in Latin; infinites (9 characteristics); propositions from Newton's 'Principia'; primary rainbows; velocity as...

Scope and Contents Papers relating to the reduction of James Bradley's observations. These include notes on transit and quadrant observations; notes on observational technique, 1750-1755; observations of Alpha Aquilae and Alpha Orionis, 1751-1758; longitude of the Sun, 1746-1750; right ascension of Alpha Aquilae, 1753-1756; Moon's transits, 1751-1759; north polar distance of stars calculated by Charles Mason from observed zenith distances, 1753-1756; summary of calculations to be made on Bradley's...

Scope and Contents Correspondence with A. Auwers, Berlin, concerning Groombridge's Catalogue, 1901-1903, including copies of papers sent to him and Greenwich north polar distance observations and reductions.Correspondence with Leopold Schulof, Paris, concerning catalogues and corrections, 1906-1908.Correspondence concerning observations of heliometer comparison stars, 1898-1901.Correspondence with Sir David Gill and H.H. Turner concerning the apparent rotation of bright stars with...

Scope and Contents Papers relating to computing, observational method and instructions.1. 'To find the variation of the declination of the Moon between the transit of her limb and that of her centre', and to find the Moon's semi-diameter in right ascension. There are two copies, dated 20 April and 3 August 1800.2. 'From the right ascension of the Moon's first or second limb or centre and the observed zenith distance of her upper or lower limb or centre deduced from observation and corrected for...

Scope and Contents Papers on general astronomy split into four sections.1. Work on Saturn's rings, in particular the disappearance and reappearance of Saturn's rings, 1788-1790; aberrations of stars in right ascension, longitude and latitude and north polar distance; accounts to find the annual parallax or aberration in any given direction, 1807; and equations of time of the eclipse of Jupiter's satellites. There are many formulae, instructions and descriptions on the above matters.2. Detailed...

Scope and Contents Papers on the archaeology of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, 1830-1848, including material on the transfer of the Observatory to the Admiralty Department and the formation of a new Board of Visitors. There is also H.C. Schumacher's 'ephemeris of Distances of the planets from the Moon's centre'; extracts from the reports of the Visitors, June 1815 - December 1818; and extracts from notes by J. Henry, 1812-1825, with a few words relating to buildings.Manuscripts of the Board of...

Scope and Contents Correspondence relating to the missing volume of minutes of the Board of Visitors for the years 1784 to 1830. There is also correspondence on the extraction of minutes relating to the Royal Observatory from the Council Minutes of the Royal Society. The letters date from 1861.Letter and notes on the burial place of John Flamsteed, 1863.Note by J. Carpenter concerning the 'Old Equatorial', 1864.Memorandum concerning the supposed location of James Bradley and Nevil...

Scope and Contents Letters concerning the receipt of old papers from F.W. Simms, 1870, including an epitaph of James Bradley and an epitaph of Edmond Halley.Letter concerning the restoration of Bradley's monument, 1871.Letters from Airy requesting leave of absence, 1870-1871.Correspondence concerning the resignation of the gate porter, M. Sheeky, 1864.Correspondence concerning the dismissal of the porter, R. Tuddenham, and the appointment of J. Rainbow, 1872.Letter to...

Scope and Contents Notes on John Flamsteed intended to serve for a history of the Royal Observatory, comprised of an extract from the parish register of Burstow, Surrey.Notes on Edmond Halley intended to serve for a history of the Royal Observatory, comprised of a biography by F.W. Simms, an extract from 'The Weekly Visitor', and a copy of the inscription on his gravestone.Notes by F.W. Simms on Halley's Comet intended to serve for a history of the Royal Observatory.Notes by Airy on...

Scope and Contents Notes regarding additions to instruments, etc., 1850-1853.A catalogue of instruments and furniture belonging to the Royal Observatory, 3 June 1854.Correspondence concerning the receipt of presents sent to the Royal Observatory, 1853-1854.Letters regarding loans to the Royal Observatory and returns, 1853-1854.Correspondence concerning the giving of presents on behalf of the Royal Observatory, 1853.Letters regarding loans from the Royal Observatory and...

Scope and Contents Notes regarding additions to the catalogue of instruments since 1854, 1854-1861.Correspondence concerning the receipt of presents sent to the Royal Observatory, 1855-1862.Letters regarding loans to the Royal Observatory and returns, 1855-1861.'Delivery of Presents' correspondence, 1859-1861.Letters regarding loans from the Royal Observatory and returns, 1855-1861.Correspondence on 'Transmission of parcels through the Royal Observatory', 1855-1861,...

Scope and Contents Lists and notes on additions to the catalogue of moveable property between 1 June 1861 and 7 June 1862 and between 7 June 1862 and 6 June 1863.Correspondence concerning the receipt of presents sent to the Royal Observatory, 1862-1868.Letters regarding loans to the Royal Observatory and returns, 1863-1866.'Delivery of Presents' correspondence, 1862-1867.Letter from Mr Fasil concerning a Nautical Almanac for 1862.Letters regarding loans from the Royal...

Scope and Contents Correspondence with Professor Safford, 1894, concerning errors in the 1860 Star Catalogue: north polar distance of 16 Persei.Letter from G. Dunn concerning 73 Leonis being a variable, 1894.Letter from S. Newcomb, 1894, concerning the north polar distance of standard stars during 1891-1893, with a reply including the Greenwich observations for 1891.Correspondence with Major Gore, R.E., concerning the place of double stars, 1894-1895.Letter from Professor...

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Various papers on the history the Royal Observatory, probably written by John Pond.

1. Resumé of the careers of Nevil Maskelyne and Sir Jonas Moore, with a note on the death of James Bradley.

2. Summary of the history of the Observatory, John Flamsteed and Edmond Halley. This was originally the first part of no. 1.

3. Important dates in the history of the Observatory.

Scope and Contents Correspondence and other papers relating to different aspects of the history of the Royal Observatory:Copy of John Flamsteed's will.Copy of Edmond Halley's will.Correspondence from F. Streatfield asking for a list of Astronomers Royals and other information, and a letter from W.S. Granville Richards asking for any information about T. Taylor in the Royal Observatory records, 1878.Correspondence with Captain S.P. Oliver on the subject of Halley's monument,...

Scope and Contents Correspondence and papers regarding the Royal Astronomical Society, including agenda and minutes of meetings of committees and the Council; officers' reports; notices and programmes for ordinary meetings; correspondence on speakers and club guests; material concerning papers to be read or refereed; correspondence concerning grants for travel, publications and research; and correspondence regarding the arrangements for lectures given by the Astronomer Royal. The papers include the following...

Scope and Contents Various loose papers concerning the Royal Society.1. Dates of meetings of the Board of Longitude and Council of the Royal Society in which James Bradley's papers were mentioned, and a description of attempts by the Royal Society to recover Bradley's observations.2. Regulations for the execution of the office of Astronomer Royal.3. Letter from William Kirkby to Mr Da Costa at the Royal Society, 18 September 1764, regarding the death of Nathaniel Bliss, mentioning that...