Herschel, John Frederick William, Sir, 1792-1871 (Knight, astronomer)
Dates
- Existence: 1792 - 1871
Legal status / Nationality
British. Knighted 1831.
Biography
Sir John Frederick William Herschel (1792-1871), 1st Baronet and astronomer, was born at Slough, Buckinghamshire, on 7 March 1792. He matriculated at St John's College, Cambridge, in 1809 (B.A., 1813; M.A., 1816), where he was a Fellow, 1813-1829, and was admitted to Lincoln's Inn in 1814. Herschel helped to found the Analytical Society in Cambridge, and also the Royal Astronomical Society, of which he was president, 1827-1832. He lived in South Africa, 1833-1838, and in 1847 published the results of his astronomical observations at the Cape of Good Hope. His other publications include Outlines of astronomy (1849) and many mathematical works. He was created baronet in 1838, and died at Collingwood, Hawkhurst, Kent, on 11 May 1871.
Found in 116 Collections and/or Records:
Correspondence on the New Palace clock, 1857 - 1861
Correspondence concerning the clock for the New Palace at Westminster. The correspondents include A. de Morgan, J.F.W. Herschel, W. Whewell and F. Dent. The papers includes pages extracted from the 'Mechanics' Magazine'; pages and two diagrams extracted from 'The Builder'; a paper by E.T. Loseby 'on the Westminster Clock'; and a paper by W.L. Baker on 'the Great Bell of Westminster'. There are also several musical calculations of the notes made by the bell in the New Palace.
Correspondence on the Standards Commission, 1868 - 1871
Correspondence on visitor admissions, 1835 - 1848
Correspondence on visitor admissions, 1861 - 1866
Correspondence with Nautical Almanac Office, 1827 - 1848
Correspondence with scientific bodies, 1836 - 1848
Correspondence with scientific societies, 1865 - 1868
Correspondence with the Standards Commission, 1838 - 1848
Correspondence with the following members of the Standards Commission: F. Baily, C.R.D. Bethune, F. Gilbert, Sir J.F.W. Herschel, Sir J.W. Lubbock, J.G.S. Lefevre, W.H. Miller, the Marquis of Northampton, the Revd G. Peacock, the Revd R. Sheepshanks and Lord Wrottesley. The volume includes copies of printed papers from the Standards Commission and several diagrams of spirit barrels.
Correspondence with the Standards Commission, 1848 - 1857
Correspondence with the following members of the Standards Commission: Sir J.F.W. Herschel, J.G.S. Lefevre, Sir J.W. Lubbock, J.C. Miller, the Revd G. Peacock, the Earl of Rosse, the Revd R. Sheepshanks and Lord Wrottesley.
Discussion of star places, 1756 - 1848
Correspondence on the positions of stars, with their errors, new discoveries, comparisons of star places (i.e. with the Tabula Regiomontana) and the motion of variable stars. The correspondents include F. Baily, Sir F. Beaufort, J.F.W. Herschel, J. Glaisher, R. Sheepshanks, W.H. Smyth, T. Galloway, W.S. Stratford, J.R. Hind, W.R. Dawes, Sir G. Everest and W. Lassell. The papers also include various parts of star catalogues.
Discussion of star places, 1847 - 1868
Discussion of star places, 1864 - 1874
Dr Thomas Young's Vouchers, 1825 - 1826
Vouchers of Dr Thomas Young for payments to tradesmen and others. Also includes occasional correspondence.
Dr Thomas Young's Vouchers, 1824 - 1828
Vouchers of Dr Thomas Young for payments to tradesmen and others. Also includes occasional correspondence.
General correspondence 'N' and 'O', 1968-08 - 1972
General correspondence with, among others, the Duke of Norfolk; the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne; 'Nature'; the Revd Father D.J.K. O'Connell, S.J., Specola Vaticana, Castel Gandolfo, Rome; the University of British Colombia; and the University of Newcastle, New South Wales. The subjects include Sir Richard Woolley's review of 'The Journal of Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon' and of 'Herschel at the Cape: Diaries and Correspondence of Sir John Herschel'.
Harton pendulum experiments, 1854 - 1877
Correspondence, letters A-L, regarding pendulum experiments at Harton, including a letter to the Academie des Sciences, correspondence with the Admiralty, and correspondence with, among others, J. Anderson, G.A. Biddell, J.R. Hind, R.C. Carrington, Professor J. Challis, G.S. Criswick, E. Dunkin, W. Ellis, Professor M. Faraday, J. Glaisher, E. Green, Sir John Herschel, Lt Col. James and M.J. Johnson.
Herschel Manuscript Catalogue of Stars
A fair copy of a Catalogue of Stars Visible on the Horizon of Calcutta, drawn up by J. W. F. Herschel to accompany the ten feet reflecting telescope sent to his relations including medical doctor, Duncan Stewart, eldest brother of Lady Margaret Herschel, employed by the East India Company, 1825-1855.
John Herschel to James Dunlop, 1828
Two letters, 9 March 1828 and undated [1828] re invitations and astronomical entertainments.
Letter concerning two chronometers to be given to Sir John Herschel for an expedition to the interior of Africa, 1833-10-30
Sent by Francis Beaufort to John Pond.
Letter from J.F.W. Herschel to Dr Thomas Young, 1829-01-08
On assisting [William] Richardson in reducing the observations taken at Parramatta Observatory under Sir Thomas Brisbane.
Letter from John Frederick William Herschel to [H. von Boguslawski, Prussia], 1844-05-06
Letter written on behalf of his aunt [Caroline Herschel] thanking him for sending a letter on her 95th birthday and sheets of his new astronomical ephemeris ‘Uranus’, and also discussing Halley’s Comet.
Letter from Thomas Maclear (RO, Cape of Good Hope) to Francis Baily, 25 October 1835
Concerning the publication of Cape observations by Fallows and Maclear; the accuracy of the transit clock; the expansion of the Cape Observatory; observations of Halley's Comet, 1-24 September 1835; C. Piazzi Smyth's suitability as an assistant; and Brisbane’s Cape Catalogue. The people mentioned include G.B. Airy, R. Sheepshanks, Captain Beaufort, W.G. Grey, F. Fallows, Sir John Herschel and C. Piazzi Smyth.
Letter from Thomas Maclear (RO, Cape of Good Hope) to Francis Baily, 8 March 1836
Concerning Baily's 'Life of Flamsteed'; the arrangement of constellations in the southern hemisphere; the measurement of stellar magnitudes; the calculation of right ascension and declination without errors; and observations of Halley's Comet from 24 January 1836 onwards. The people mentioned include Sir John Herschel, T. Henderson and Captain Beaufort.
Letter from Thomas Maclear (RO, Cape of Good Hope) to Francis Baily, 16 November 1836
Letter from Thomas Maclear (RO, Cape of Good Hope) to Francis Baily, 20 February 1840
Concerning a proposed visit of the Revd Adamson to Sir John Herschel; Maclear's continuing work on the Abbe de Lacaille; stellar observations; and the erection of an obelisk in honour of Sir John Herschel. People mentioned include the Revd Adamson, Sir John Herschel, the Abbe de Lacaille, J.D. Forbes and T. Henderson.
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